Ichigo, Meet Ichigo
by Reign of Rayne
Summary: Of all the things Ichigo thought he would have to deal with after defeating Aizen without using Mugetsu, having his inner hollow pulled into the material world was not one of them. To make matters worse, Ichigo makes a bet with Renji that leads to Ichigo's version of the end of the world: he has to attend the Shinigami Academy. Slight AU, no pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Bleach_**

_This fanfic is set after the events of the Soul Society arc in the Bleach anime. Since this fic is based on events in the anime and not the manga, there will be subtle differences. Essentially, this story will switch off every chapter between Ichigo Kurosaki reading a fan fiction, and the fan fiction that Ichigo is reading. It's slightly confusing, but I trust that you guys will get it. If you don't care for the "Ichigo reading the fic" part, then you can skip those chapters and it really won't be that big of a deal._

_Anyway, enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 1

Ichigo lay slouched on his bed, looking up at his boring ceiling. Over the past few days his eyes had ingrained the blank image into his mind from hours of constant staring. There had been no hollow attacks in a while, and even though school took up a large portion of his time, Ichigo couldn't help his overwhelming sense of sheer _boredom_.

_The Soul Society was more exciting than this by far._

Absently, Ichigo reached into his pocket and pulled out his wooden substitute shinigami badge. The small artifact seemed to give Ichigo no real authority as a soul reaper, but it did allow him to leave his body whenever he had to.

_Not that there's any reason for me to do that now_, Ichigo thought sullenly. He'd finished his homework over an hour beforehand and, after a casual dinner with his family, Ichigo had returned to his room.

Suddenly, he got the feeling that something was off. He lay still for a moment, slowing his breathing and straining his hearing. Faintly, Ichigo could hear scratching at the wall outside his window.

_Seriously? When it's raining?_

With a sigh, Ichigo pushed himself out of bed, walked over to his room's door, and pulled it open. The hallway was empty, and Ichigo made sure that his younger sisters, Karin and Yuzu, weren't in danger of walking past his door. Once that was done, Ichigo walked back over to stand a little ways away from his window, the same bored expression on his face.

In an explosion of motion, a person burst through Ichigo's window, headed straight for Ichigo, who retained his relaxed posture. Then, in a way that was clearly practiced, Ichigo stepped to the side of the intruder, grabbed him by the back of his shirt, and launched him through his recently opened door with more force than was entirely necessary.

Isshin Kurosaki slammed into the hallway's wall and lay there, groaning.

"YOU BROKE MY WINDOW _AGAIN_!" Ichigo yelled furiously, feeling the cold sensation of rain hitting his bare arms. Isshin was already jumping to his feet and dusting himself off as if he hadn't just climbed up the side of his own house in order to tackle his son from the outside. "And you're dripping _all over_ the carpet!" Ichigo added with a touch of annoyance. Really, he should be used to these things by now.

"Your reflexes have improved!" Isshin commented, completely ignoring everything that Ichigo had just said. "One of these days, you might even beat me!"

"'One of these days'?" Ichigo repeated, trying to stop from twitching. "I just did!"

"Keep thinking that, son!" Isshin declared, vanishing from sight.

"He's insane," Ichigo whispered to no one as his father's footsteps retreated down the stairs. Ichigo could still feel his heart pounding from the sudden exercise, but boredom was rapidly setting in again. Just as he turned to go back to his bed, Isshin's footsteps rapidly ascended the stairs. Ichigo turned quickly, expecting another surprise attack, but Isshin looked more excited than crazy when he came into view.

"I forgot!"

"Okay . . ." Ichigo replied warily. There was a brief pause while Ichigo's father collected his thoughts.

"Your laptop is downstairs! Karin finished with it!"

With that, Isshin disappeared again.

It took Ichigo a moment to process that information.

"_Wait!_ When did Karin _take_ my laptop?!"

A new urgency in his step, Ichigo bolted out of his room and flew down the stairs, taking the steps four at a time. There, where Ichigo could've sworn there was no laptop before, was Ichigo's laptop.

"Karin!" Ichigo yelled, but his sister gave no answer, which was probably for the best. Sighing, the defeated brother scooped up his laptop and made his way back upstairs, simultaneously wondering when Karin had managed to take the computer and how she'd gotten his password.

Once Ichigo had returned to his room - avoiding another surprise attack from his father on the way - he saw that someone had already tacked up a sheet of plywood over the broken window. It wasn't the first time Ichigo had seen this and he automatically dismissed the matter from his mind, knowing that his father probably had a large supply on hand.

Now that there was no immediate threat to his safety or privacy, Ichigo's mind began to wander while he tried to think of some way to entertain himself.

_I guess I can go on the computer . . . I mean, I've got nothing better to do._

Sitting down on his bed, Ichigo pulled open his computer and quickly typed in his password - he vowed to change it soon because of Karin - and then began to stare at his screen in the same manner as he had with his ceiling.

_Okay, now what should I do?_

"Whatcha doin', Ichigo?" A familiar, slightly nasally voice asked.

"Nothing, Kon," Ichigo replied distractedly while opening the Internet and tapping his fingers restlessly on the keys without pressing them.

Kon - in plush lion form - hopped onto the bed next to Ichigo and peered at the screen. Since he wasn't that large nor that heavy in his stuffed animal body, Kon wasn't really bothering Ichigo.

"You weren't kidding when you said nothing," Kon commented. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "You should look up stories! Sweet Rukia always tells me such wonderf- oomph!"

He was abruptly cut off by Ichigo's fist, which smashed into Kon's plushy face and sent him flying into the wall with a squeak.

"No," Ichigo said, his eyes never having left the screen. His fingers hit three keys at random, which just happened to spell "fan". Ichigo's eyes narrowed when the search auto filled to "fanfiction".

Pressing "enter", Ichigo blinked at the site that had popped up first.

"Fan Fiction dot net?" He read aloud, frowning slightly.

_Never been on that site before, I don't think. Was it Karin?_

"What?"

Kon was back on the bed, and since Ichigo didn't seem to want to hit him again Kon was comfortable with looking at the screen again. Ichigo didn't respond, instead clicking the website.

"What's fan fiction?" Kon pestered, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Stories about other stories, written by fans," Ichigo explained distractedly, remembering it from something someone had told him a while ago.

"Oh. So what're you going to read about?"

"I never said I was going to read any of it!" Ichigo snapped.

"Then why'd you open the site?"

"Because you were being annoying!"

"Oh yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

A quiet knock on the door interrupted Ichigo and Kon's shouting contest. Immediately, Kon went limp and Ichigo called for the person to come in. The door opened to reveal Orihime, her face flushed and her hair wet from rain.

"Orihime?" Ichigo said. "Uh, come in!" He paused for a beat. "No offense, but why are you here?"

"Um, well," Orihime struggled to reply, her face only turning more red, "I was in the area and figured I'd drop by!" She ended with one of her familiar huge smiles and stepped a little into Ichigo's room. Ichigo, having glanced back at his screen, was unaware of how hungrily Orihime was taking in the details of his room.

"That's cool," Ichigo replied. He'd found the "anime" section of the site and was busy scrolling through it, recognizing a few of the names and finding others completely weird.

"Who names a show after a cleaning product?" Ichigo muttered to himself.

"What?" Orihime asked, momentarily forgetting how awkward she felt as she moved to sit beside Ichigo. "What are you looking at, Ichigo?"

"Some fanfiction site," Ichigo answered. "Look. There's one called 'Bleach'. Isn't that a weird name?"

"Definitely!" Orihime agreed.

"Click on it," Kon suggested. Orihime glanced at him, blinked once, and then her attention shifted back to Ichigo.

"Fine," Ichigo said. When he did, he couldn't believe that the first thing he saw was his name. "Wait, what the hell?"

"Ichigo, why do these stories have you on the pictures?" Orihime asked, frowning. "And why are you wearing a mask in some of them?

Ichigo couldn't help the flutter of panic that rose in his chest.

_Why did it have to be Orihime? Why?_

"Probably just something the authors dreamed up," he replied quickly - a little _too_ quickly. Orihime Inoue gave Ichigo a confused look but didn't press the matter. Even Kon was suspicious, but for once he kept his mouth shut.

"Ooooh, you should click on that one!" Orihime suddenly said excitedly, pointing to a story about halfway down the screen. Her attention had completely shifted and the tension in the room lifted. "It has your name written twice in the title!"

Frowning, Ichigo looked at said story. However, before he did, he got a strange feeling. Groaning, he got up.

"One second," he told Orihime. "I have to deal with something."

Ichigo walked over to his door and threw it open, causing Karin, Yuzu, and Isshin Kurosaki to tumble onto the floor since the door they had been leaning on opened.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ichigo demanded.

"You can't blame us!" Yuzu replied at the same time that Isshin muttered, "eavesdropping".

"Yeah," Karin continued, "it's not our fault that you've never brought a girl as attractive as Orihime home before!"

Isshin nodded, confident that his daughters were getting the message across.

Ichigo's right eye twitched slightly, and his hand was holding the doorknob so tightly that the metal was actually bending slightly. Eventually, he let out a long sigh, releasing the frustration his family always built up.

"Stop," Ichigo said firmly. Then, in a final motion, he slammed the door shut in their faces, not particularly caring if there was a chance that Isshin would get hit. Trusting that his family would leave - they usually did once they were found out - Ichigo walked back over to his bed like nothing had happened, sat down, and picked up his laptop. Wisely, Orihime and Kon said nothing of what they had just witnessed, though Orihime was blushing furiously.

"'Ichigo, Meet Ichigo'," the orange-haired boy read from the screen. "What kind of title is that?"

"One that got your attention," Kon muttered, earning another punch from Ichigo that sent him flying into the closet. Something heavier than Kon fell on top of the stuffed lion and the room became much more peaceful almost instantly.

"C'mon, Ichigo," Orihime begged, unconsciously leaning into the boy next to her, "read it!"

Ichigo reddened slightly at Orihime's proximity but restrained himself from doing anything to offend her. Clearing his throat, Ichigo read the provided summary.

"Of all the things Ichigo thought he would have to deal with after defeating Aizen - without using Mugetsu - having his inner hollow pulled into the material world was definitely not one of them. To make matters worse, Ichigo ends up making a bet with Renji that leads to Ichigo's version of the end of the world: he has to attend the Shinigami Academy. Slight AU, no serious pairings." Ichigo paused at the end of the provided summary. Then, "What's Mugetsu? What's that even mean? And my inner hollow? The end of the world? And why would I attend the Shinigami Academy?"

Suddenly, Ichigo's world seemed to freeze. Just for a moment, he could see his inner hollow leaning against the opposite wall, the familiar sadistic smile on his face.

**"You're running out of time, King."**

Abruptly, Ichigo snapped back to the present. His hollow had disappeared, but the room still felt much colder.

Orihime was laughing, not having noticed - or not reacting to - Ichigo's momentary blackout. "You should know better, silly! This is a fan fiction! Now read it, pleeaaaase?"

Orihime had noticed how Ichigo had suddenly gone tense, had felt his muscles tighten, and had sensed his heart pause for just a second, but she didn't want to say anything.

_Ichigo would tell me_, she thought to herself. _I mean, I shouldn't worry! It's Ichigo! He's doing fine!_

With a resigned sigh, Ichigo clicked on the story, trying to keep his hands from shaking as he did so.

* * *

_I promise, there's more coming! I'm planning on having a weekly update schedule (my first one for any story that I've written, which is shameful). So far, I plan to update once a week on Saturdays. If you have any questions, comments, or corrections (especially corrections because there's so many terms in this that I have difficulty with; clarifications from more knowledgable fans would be great), feel free to PM me or leave a review! I'll try to respond either through PM or in my author's notes!_

_-RoR_

_Side note: Ichigo's inner hollow doesn't really appear (in the fanfic mentioned in the summary) until chapter 6. If you want to be really confused as to everything that's going on, feel free to skip to that point, but I don't recommend it._


	2. Chapter 2

_****__Disclaimer: I still do not own anything from Bleach_

_Yes, it isn't a Saturday. It's a Monday. I'm well aware, but I couldn't leave my story at just one measly chapter that didn't even have the main action going on. It just felt wrong, so here's an early upload. I should still be on schedule for next Saturday, so this isn't replacing that or anything._

_Anyway, this bit is during Ichigo's battle with Aizen in the Soul Society, when Aizen transforms into a butterfly. Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 2

_[Fan fiction]_

Aizen stood before Ichigo in all his twisted glory, his wings spread wide and his purple eyes glaring. Ichigo had effortlessly blocked Aizen's swing, but now the two were standing still, momentarily paused in the eye of the storm of battle.

"What an odd coincidence," Aizen said calmly, his white sword pressed against Ichigo's black daito while the two stared each other down. "It seems we have both reached a similar evolution, which I see as the truest form of the Zanpakutō. Through introspection, our right arms have almost completely fused with our Zanpakutō."

Aizen smirked, seeming to find the thought amusing, despite the tension that seemed to almost thicken the air.

"What's so funny?" Ichigo asked, his voice containing slight notes of annoyance, as if he found the whole affair boring. His amber eyes never showed even a flicker of emotion other than sheer determination.

"You know, I just realized something while we clashed," Aizen replied, still smirking, "it's clear your evolution and mine are at very different levels. If I decide to, I have the power to shatter your Zanpakutō with one swing!"

Abruptly, Aizen disengaged and brought his sword back, preparing to end Ichigo's futile resistance.

Ichigo's expression remained unchanged, his bright orange hair swaying slightly in the breeze. Then, as Aizen's sword came down, Ichigo's eyes narrowed just fractionally, and the substitute shinigami brought up his hand and caught Aizen's blow with absolutely no trouble at all.

Aizen's expression went from confident to shocked in less time than it took for the energy of his attack to pass Ichigo without hurting him.

Behind him, Ichigo could hear the earth roaring as the ground split and was blown away in pieces from the force of Aizen's attack. However, Ichigo's expression and demeanor remained unchanged, even as he held Aizen's blade in his bare hand.

_Impossible_, Aizen thought, unable to believe what he was seeing. _He caught it? I could understand moving out of the way, although with my sword coming at him at such a speed he shouldn't even be able to do that. By just dodging my slash, he would've eliminated the risk of getting hurt, but he chose to do _this_ instead? He caught it with his _bare hand_!_

"You look surprised," Ichigo commented, the slightest notes of sarcasm audible as he spoke. "Was it really such a mind-blowing thing to you? Yes, I did catch your sword." Ichigo paused for a moment, and Aizen felt the first tremor of - _no, it's not fear, it's _- confusion reverberate through his body. "Are you scared," Ichigo queried softly, "that something you can't comprehend happened right before your eyes, and you couldn't stop it?"

Aizen hesitated, and then his confidence flowed back as he realized that this _boy_, this _human_, was attempting to play mind games with him. He chuckled, eyes narrowing. Ichigo, seeing this, glanced up to look Aizen in the eyes.

"Very funny, Ichigo Kurosaki." Aizen stated, pulling his sword out of Ichigo's hand and jumping away from his opponent. "'Something I can't comprehend or stop', you say? Don't talk as if you've already won this fight. What just happened was simply a moment where your physical strength temporarily exceeded mine. Miracles like that do happen from time to time, but I am a being that surpasses even the miraculous. I will make sure that an anomaly like that never happens again by crushing your bones in Kidō!"

Even as Aizen was enveloped in purple spirit energy, Ichigo maintained his uncaring expression. He didn't move, just watched Aizen talk himself out with hard eyes.

"Oozing crest of corruption," Aizen intoned, raising one hand to the sky, "the arrogant vessel of madness, deny the seething urge to let things stun and flicker. Disrupt the sleep, crawling princes of iron, the eternally self-destructing ball of mud, unite, repulse, fill the earth, and know your own powerlessness! Hadō number ninety, Kurohitsugi!" As he spoke, Aizen's spiritual pressure gradually increased, as did the amount of visible purple spirit energy around him. When he spoke the final words, black boxes topped with spear-like protrusions began to rise out of the ground. Aizen continued speaking, reveling in his own power.

"A full incantation Kurohitsugi, performed by one who transcends both hollow and soul reaper; its power unleashes enough gravity to warp time and space, the likes of which you could never even hope to comprehend! Perish, Ichigo Kurosaki!"

Ichigo was surrounded by black walls, which were quickly engulfing him. He did not move or even blink, just watched. Aizen's maniacal grin twisted his face as the demented being imprisoned his opponent.

Even as the black closed in around him, Ichigo stayed completely still, until he was completely covered.

As soon as the creation was complete, the devastating spiritual pressure lifted and the darkness fled from the sky. Aizen stood before a massive black structure that stretched to the clouds, completely hiding Ichigo Kurosaki. Slowly, a smirk appeared on Aizen's features.

Before Aizen could turn away, he sensed a sudden change in the spiritual energy around him. As he watched, the Kurohitsugi, one of the most powerful Hadō spells, was shattered by a single swipe of Ichigo's arm. Black shards rained down on a dumbstruck Aizen while Ichigo remained an island of calm.

"You still haven't realized it, have you?" Ichigo said, his hair obscuring his eyes. "The power I have is greater than the power you possess even right now." Finishing that statement, Ichigo began to walk towards Aizen, who was incapable of even speaking for a few moments.

"That huge force," Ichigo continued, "that erased that entire mountain?" Aizen remembered that; remembered how exhilarating it felt to know his own strength was growing and multiplying even faster than he had expected. "That-" Aizen's body went cold- "was _my_ sword."

Aizen's eyes went wide as the sheer meaning of that simple statement struck him and he could not speak.

"Now it's my turn, Aizen."

Faster than Aizen could even blink, Ichigo launched himself at him, aimed at one particular target, one that Aizen had left too open, too vulnerable in his ecstasy.

Ichigo's pitch black Zanpakutō, Tensa Zangetsu, sliced its target with terrible accuracy before Aizen could hope to block the blow or even move.

A single sound echoed throughout the decimated landscape, one that caused Aizen's thoughts to momentarily halt.

_Crack._

The silence that followed was deafening.

"NO!" Aizen suddenly yelled, forcing an unperturbed Ichigo away and retreating rapidly, staring down in shock at where the Hōgyoku was suspended in his chest. There, barely visible on the object's surface, was the tiniest crack. "It's not possible," Aizen whispered, his whole body trembling. "It's not possible! A mere _human_ like you could never damage the Hōgyoku! It's inconceivable!"

"What an odd reaction," Ichigo called, something approaching satisfaction coating his words. "When I moved away from you in our last battle, you stopped and asked me why. Now you're doing the exact same thing. So let me ask you the same question, Aizen." Ichigo looked up at the winged man, his eyes flashing. "Why did you back away just now?

"I get it now," Aizen hissed back. "You're pleased that you stopped my sword, aren't you?" His sword began shaking in his hand. "I assume, that you're pleased that you overcame my Kidō. I suppose that you're equally pleased that you put a tiny _mark_ on my Hōgyoku!"

Ichigo watched dispassionately as Aizen worked himself up, though his grip on his Zanpakutō tightened just barely.

"Well don't be so full of yourself, _human_!" Aizen yelled, throwing his head back as his spirit energy flared and the third, vertical eye on his forehead opened with a sick noise. For a moment, nothing else happened besides a tiny stream of blood dripping down Aizen's face. However, cracks rapidly spread through Aizen's features as the man's head fell to one side as if his neck had been broken. Aizen's eyes flared and Ichigo was buffeted by a massive blast of wind and purple Reiatsu as dust was blown into the air. Aizen was enveloped in a glowing purple beam of Reiatsu, and his yelling was slowly building in volume.

Aizen leaned forward, clutching his face as his back split open with an explosion of blood, accompanied by white heads on stalks erupting out of the same area, mouths opening and closing. The whole pillar of Reiatsu suddenly solidified, obscuring the ex-captain, and then cracked like glass, with blood forcibly pouring out of each crack. Then the entire thing simply imploded, sending a wave of blood and fading Reiatsu to the ground.

A changed Aizen was revealed, blood sliding off of his six white wings, each of which contained one white head at midlength and a strange eye. Aizen's hair had grown longer, and as Ichigo watched the _thing_ stand up, he could see that a second and third hole had opened beneath the one that contained the glowing blue Hōgyoku. Aizen's face was that of a hollow, with pointed teeth, black skin, and three eyes, the top one being white, a stark contrast of the black on his head, shoulders, lower arms and legs.

When Aizen spoke, his voice was raspier, grating on Ichigo's ears.

"Yes, it's true. This is an inexcusable breach, isn't it, Hōgyoku, that I, with my power, should allow a _human_ to get the better of me."

As Aizen finished with his statement, one of his wings flared, and by that head's mouth a purple ball of spirit energy quickly formed. The head launched it at Ichigo, who still hadn't moved from his position.

The resulting explosion shattered several nearby mountains as a red ball of sheer destructive power formed, reducing the already damaged landscape into something completely unrecognizable. The blast sent up a mushroom cloud and the shockwaves even reached Karakura Town, making those that were conscious shield themselves from dust and flying debris.

A giant pillar of flame completely enveloped where Ichigo had been standing, obscuring him from sight as Aizen slowly walked towards it, the two eyes located on his lower wings wide open, the white irises staring.

Seeing a surviving Ichigo as the flames cleared, Aizen spoke.

"I see you were able to withstand my attack with very little damage. However, your left arm is no longer useful." True to Aizen's word, Ichigo's left arm was red and blistering from the blow it had just taken. Launching himself at the injured boy, Aizen propelled both himself and Ichigo out of the flames and held Ichigo in the air as his wings spread around the substitute shinigami, all of the eyes - one on each wing - opening as the heads opened their mouths. A ring of concentrated purple Reiatsu formed around Ichigo, who appeared to be unconscious. The spirit energy that pulsed from the ring Aizen created quickly put out the remaining flames, revealing the massive crater that the attack had made. As the smoke cleared, three white rings became visible. One was directly around Ichigo, another, larger one located slightly higher, and the largest above that.

"Can you hear me, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Aizen asked condescendingly. "I have to give you credit; for one brief moment you broke the boundary between hollow and soul reaper to become a transcendent being, but that power is no more! It has completely dissipated and not a trace of it remains. You're not even worth _trying_ to understand anymore; now it's my turn! _I_ am the true transcendent being who caused your death! I must say, it will be quite a victory; by eliminating you I will completely break free from soul reapers and hollows alike!" Tightening his grip, Aizen declared, "It's over, Ichigo Kurosaki!"

"Is it, Aizen?" Ichigo managed over the hand around his throat. Shifting so that he could look Aizen in the eye and show him how completely unconcerned he was, Ichigo said quietly, "This the best you can do?"

Moving more quickly than any eye could follow, Ichigo struck with Tensa Zangetsu, hitting Aizen right where the Hōgyoku hovered. With a scream like a thousand suns going supernova, the Hōgyoku split as Ichigo's sword was lodged into it. Aizen cried out as purple spirit energy enveloped both him and Ichigo, shooting off in all directions as the elements responded to the situation, calling up a fierce gale that ripped at the air. The three white rings imploded, sending shards of solidified spirit energy flying through the sky.

A pillar of Reiatsu shot up into the clouds, purple with flickers of black outlined in red. The two figures were completely obscured as the Hōgyoku screamed, taking back all of the spirit energy it had granted its master to heal itself.

Eyes narrowed and teeth clenched, Ichigo tried to remove his Zanpakutō from the broken crystal, but found that he could not, even with all of his strength. Aizen desperately clutched at Ichigo's blade, but neither of the two could separate the blade and crystal.

More and more spirit energy poured out, reaching a point of blinding intensity.

For one heart-stopping moment, there was a peace, a stillness that completely froze everything, but then everything was enveloped in the Hōgyoku and Aizen's wild Reiatsu.

A massive explosion, not matching Aizen's attacks in size but dwarfing them in intensity, ripped through the area, completely obliterating anything left standing from the encounter and only stopping a few meters away from Karakura Town, though spirit energy still flew through the streets, knocking anyone not already unconscious out cold. In the center of the explosion, Ichigo and Aizen still faced off, though the latter was beginning to fade away.

Ichigo, nearly blind from the brightness of the surrounding Reiatsu, was still able to watch as a panicking Aizen began to fall to pieces. The explosion was rapidly engulfing Aizen's wings, breaking them away from Aizen's twisted body and becoming lost in the light. It felt like minutes, but mere moments later Aizen himself was disintegrating like sand, blowing away in the chaos of the Hōgyoku's screams.

As darkness began to encroach on Ichigo's vision, he could hear something in the back of his mind.

It sounded like someone yelling his name, but it quickly turned to pain cries that were swallowed up by the roaring explosion.

Agony the likes of which Ichigo had never experienced before suddenly engulfed Ichigo's body, causing the previously calm boy to yell in pain. As black, purple, and white Reiatsu swirled around him, Ichigo felt like his body was being ripped in two. The screaming in his mind returned, louder than ever, and for a moment Ichigo could feel_ something_ being pulled out of him by the Hōgyoku, but then his senses shut down from the fire tearing through his veins.

Skin red and blistering, Ichigo finally succumbed to unconsciousness and fell, the pieces of chain on his arm breaking link by link to be absorbed by the fading spirit energy around it.

Beside him, another being fell, a similar chain also breaking.

When the energy dissipated, an unsettling silence blanketed the area.

* * *

Tatsuki Arisawa groaned, feeling a painful throbbing in her head. Opening her eyes, she saw that she was face down on pavement. While she tried to think of what had happened, she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. There was odd warmth on her forehead, and, reaching up, she felt wetness. When she looked at her fingers, Tatsuki saw blood coating the tips.

_When did I hurt myself? _She wondered groggily, blinking.

Suddenly, Tatsuki became aware of other people making pained noises around her. The fogginess fleeing from her mind, Tatsuki looked at her surroundings. She saw that she was still in Karakura Town.

Keigo Asano, Chizuru Honshō, Don Kanonji, Mizuiro Kojima, and that weird Afro guy were all around Tatsuki, groaning.

_Oh, right. The guy's name is Zennosuke Kurumadani. Mr. Afro or whatever._

Each of the people was slowly getting up. Tatsuki immediately crawled over to Chizuru, whose glasses were slightly cracked.

"Hey," Tatsuki gasped, her voice raw, "you okay?"

Chizuru glanced up at the girl above her and nodded mutely.

"I'm okay too," a weak voice called. Tatsuki looked over at Keigo as he flipped onto his back and stared up at the bright blue sky.

"I knew you were okay," Tatsuki snapped. "That's why I didn't ask you!"

"Yo, what happened here, yo?" Don Kanonji asked, being the first to stand up and peer around. "I don't sense anymore spiritual energy, like, at all."

At Don Kanonji's words, Tatsuki's memories came flooding back. She remembered her overwhelming fear, her inability to move as the man in white came closer, and then that soul reaper dying, and then Ichigo-

_Ichigo_.

"Oh my god," Tatsuki whispered, her eyes shooting wide open. "Ichigo!"

"Ichigo?" Chizuru repeated, pushing herself to her feet. Tatsuki followed suit, and the two girls steadied themselves while their world spun. Keigo and Mizuiro were doing the same thing, and the soul reaper was still on the ground, moaning.

Tatsuki, running out of patience, stalked over to the afro guy and kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him rolling away.

"Tatsuki, what the hell was that for?" Keigo called, leaning heavily on Mizuiro. Tatsuki ignored him, and instead crossed her arms while the shinigami recovered.

The soul reaper coughed up a small spray of blood, but moments later he had jumped to his feet.

"Young lady," he started, "that was entirely unnecessary and completely uncalled for in this situation. In fact, if you should have kicked anyone you needed to kick- ow!"

The Afro shinigami was interrupted by Tatsuki's fist to his face, which sent him reeling.

"He talks too much," Mizuiro commented, habitually pulling out a small device. Seeing that it was cracked and useless, he put it back in one of his many pockets. "Keigo, could you stop leaning on me so much? You're going to push me over."

"Sorry!" Keigo snapped back. "It's not like I'm seriously injured or anything! I think I'll just go run a marathon and-"

Keigo Asano abruptly stopped as a sound drifted over to the group.

Someone was crying.

Instantly, everyone's attention switched to a slab of rubble. There, two soul reapers lay. One was an exceedingly attractive woman with bright red hair, and the other was a man with white hair and a serious wound.

The woman was sobbing, clutching the man.

"Gin," she whispered, her voice cracking, "Gin! Wake up, please!" The woman's voice fell back to incoherent sobs while tears streaked down her face. Her hair fell over the man's face, but it was clear even then that the man would not be getting up.

Tatsuki, Keigo, Chizuru, Zennosuke, and Mizuiro were all frozen in place by the scene before them. Even Don Kanonji was still.

For a minute, no one dared to move, not willing to interrupt the woman's grief. Eventually, however, the cries died down to silence. Slowly, the woman disengaged from the man beneath her and stood up, staggering slightly. The amount of despair in her face and body language sent a pang through Tatsuki's chest, and even Chizuru's eyes were watering.

Tatsuki blinked, and the soul reaper was next to her, standing with her hands clenched by her sides. Her hair obscured her eyes and her voice was shaky when she spoke.

"We should find Kurosaki," she stated, just loud enough for those assembled to hear.

"What about-" Keigo started, looking at the unconscious man, but Mizuiro slapped a hand over his mouth before Keigo could finish his statement.

"I don't mean to be rude, lady," Don Kanonji said, "but may I inquire what your name is?"

The woman took a few seconds to reply.

"My name . . . is Rangiku Matsumoto. I am the lieutenant of the Tenth Division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads." She raised her head, pride flashing across her face despite how broken she looked. Her bright blue eyes were not the eyes of someone about to give up, though she glanced at the man she was about to leave behind and some of her bravado vanished.

"You're a soul reaper, right?" Tatsuki asked quietly, holding her arms. Rangiku nodded, and it was plain that she was steeling herself.

"Yes. However, we need to save the questions for later. Right now, we should find Ichigo."

"How do we know that the 'substitute soul reaper' even won?" Mr. Afro asked, his bushy brows drawn together. Matsumoto fixed him with a glare so strong it made him take a physical step back.

"Because he isn't an ignorant slacker like you," she hissed dangerously, leaning forward and revealing her substantial cleavage. Mr. Afro reddened considerably and backed off.

"Guys?" Chizuru said quietly, hugging herself. "Do you think that Ichigo's okay?"

"Well, we're not dead," Mizuiro replied amiably, somehow being calmer than anyone else present, "so I'd say the odds that he won are pretty high."

"Still," Chizuru pressed, "we shouldn't just be standing here."

"I agree!" Keigo announced. "We should head over to where he is!"

"Which is . . . where?" Tatsuki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He went far away," a new voice coughed. Everyone turned and saw a man dressed like a soul reaper slowly walking over, holding his side and limping slightly. He vaguely resembled Ichigo.

"Isshin?" Matsumoto whispered, her eyes going wide. Don Kanonji's eyes darted between the two.

"Yo, is there something I missed?" He asked of no one, only to be ignored by everyone.

"Rangiku Matsumoto," Isshin said warmly, despite how exhausted he looked. "It's been a while. Though, could we save the reunion for later?" A serious look that Tatsuki didn't recognize had come over Ichigo's father's face. "I have to get my son."

Despite how many questions were swirling through Tatsuki's mind, she trusted Ichigo's father.

"He's right," she announced, turning to the others. "We have to make sure that Ichigo's alright before we do anything else." There were various nods of agreement from the assembled humans and the two soul reapers.

"Matsumoto," Isshin whispered to his former lieutenant as they trailed behind the others, "the medical corps is coming. Gin will be in good hands."

Rangiku nodded gratefully, not saying a word.

Tatsuki was finding it difficult to walk. After leaving Karakura Town, the terrain had gotten considerably rougher.

"It's like someone took a knife and sliced up the planet," Keigo was saying to Mizuiro. Keigo then nearly fell, but Don Kanonji caught him.

"Watch where you're goin', kid."

Keigo's face reddened and he quickly walked ahead.

After what felt like hours, the group finally made it to an area that was so devastated the original landscape was unimaginable in comparison to the destruction clearly visible.

"There!" Chizuru called, pointing ahead. "There's a huge crater!"

Without needing further prodding, everyone picked up the pace. Even Isshin and Rangiku, who were injured, managed a half-jog.

When Tatsuki made it to the top, her hand flew to her mouth while her eyes grew to the size of saucers.

"Ichigo," she whispered. As the others were making it to the edge of the crater, Tatsuki was sliding down, not caring about how she cut her hands on the side to keep her balance. "Ichigo!"

There was that stupid, dumb, impulsive boy she'd always known laying at the center of the giant hole in the ground, face down and with a giant, cleaver-like sword a foot or so away from his outstretched right hand. He was wearing a now-familiar shihakushō, but it was ripped and torn. Even from a distance, Tatsuki could see that he was seriously injured.

There was no sign of the creepy other man who looked like a butterfly.

Soon, everyone had made it to Ichigo's side.

"Is he conscious?" Someone asked.

"No," someone else replied.

"He's burned," Mizuiro noted.

"And bleeding," Keigo added, worry written all over his usually carefree face.

"He'll be fine," Isshin muttered, sounding almost like he was reassuring himself.

"Hey, Ichigo's father dude!"

Isshin looked up and saw Don Kanonji crouched next to some object on the ground. Instantly, Isshin was pushing Don Kanonji away from it.

"Don't touch that!" He hissed.

_This is the Hōgyoku,_ Isshin thought worriedly, looking at the strange, smooth, crystalline shape before him. _Where's Aizen?_

Carefully, Isshin ripped off a piece of cloth and wrapped the undamaged Hōgyoku in it, and then pocketed the whole bundle. He would let Kisuke Urahara handle it; he was more qualified. In the meantime, he needed to tend to his son.

Isshin kneeled next to Ichigo and examined his son critically.

"His Reiatsu levels are at their normally ridiculously high levels," Rangiku noted, her voice strained. "Minus his physical injuries, he seems fine."

"I'm not so sure," Isshin muttered. "There's something more at play here. Do you sense anything odd?"

Rangiku paused and closed her eyes, going completely still for a moment.

Suddenly, her breath caught in her throat and she coughed, eyes flying wide open.

"That spiritual pressure," she managed. "It's . . ."

"Like Ichigo's," Isshin clarified grimly. "But the opposite."

"Uh, guys?" Keigo yelled from a ways away, near a large boulder. "There's another dude here! And he's white!"

* * *

**_Quick note (7/2/14):_**_ Yes, I know that the __Hōgyoku_ is supposed to be indestructible, and in a way it still it. Plus, Ichigo is by no means weak at this stage; he's even stronger than Aizen. Therefore, I took "indestructible" to mean that (if you are nearly invulnerable because you're so strong) you can damage the _Hōgyoku_, but it will always be able to fix itself before any lasting damage occurs.

_So there you have it. I would like to thank the person who already reviewed my first chapter, Hylla. As for the IchiHime part, I won't __explicitly ship any two characters, though some may be implied. I've never been good at romance and I don't plan on starting now._

_Please, if you have the time and are enjoying my writing, review! It's great to get feedback, especially since this is the first time I've written about an anime. There's a lot of terms I'm not familiar with and help from other people would be awesome._

_-RoR_


	3. Chapter 3

_****__Disclaimer: Again, I do not own anything from Bleach_

_There's an explanation for this early upload, and it's even stupider than the last one. Ready?_

_It's because I read a really sad story about Ichigo and thought, 'fuck it, I'll balance out these bad feelings with my own writing', and then this happened. God, I am so bad at sticking to an update schedule. Therefore, all of you readers should just expect updates at _least_ every Saturday, possibly with a few in between._

_This chapter is the reaction of Ichigo & company to the previous._

* * *

Chapter 3

Ichigo stared at the computer screen in front of him, his eyes seeing but his mind not believing.

"What . . . the . . . hell," he eventually said, articulating the thought that had been running through his mind the entire time.

"How did this person know about Aizen? And what's _with_ Aizen?" Orihime asked with a frown, leaning over Ichigo even more to look more closely at his laptop. "And Tatsuki? And Keigo? And Chizuru? And-"

"I get the idea, Orihime," Ichigo interrupted. "And I don't know. It doesn't make any sense."

"Also," Kon grunted from where he was climbing onto the bed after struggling to get free of the closet, "when did you become badass? Last I checked you were the wimpiest guy in the neighborhood. You even needed-"

"Say one more word, Kon," Ichigo growled, "and I will rip your stuffing out."

Wisely, Kon shut up. Orihime, on the other hand, paid no attention to the exchange.

"And what's with this guy in white?" She pressed. "And Karakura Town? And how strong you got? And the Hōgyoku?"

At the words "guy in white", Ichigo flinched again, which caused Orihime to lose her balance and practically fall onto Ichigo's lap, nearly causing Ichigo's laptop to fall had Kon not caught it with one paw.

"I'm so sorry!" Orihime gasped, righting herself quickly and scooting to the far side of the bed, smoothing down her skirt as she did so and blushing furiosly. "Oh my gosh, Ichigo, I'm sorry!"

Ichigo, for his part, was just as red, but he brushed it aside much more easily than Orihime.

"It's fine. No need to worry. Kon, give me my laptop back."

"Only if you promise to read the next chapter."

"Why would I want to read the next chapter?"

"Because the fan fiction is so _weird_!" Orihime announced. "And I want to get to the bottom of the weirdness!"

"How is reading it going to get to the bottom of the weirdness?" Ichigo questioned, scowling.

"Read it and find out!" Orihime replied brightly.

"You two are absolutely ridiculous. I've been standing in the doorway for at least three minutes and you never even bothered to notice."

"Ishida!" Orihime cried, nearly flying off the bed to give Ishida a warm hug. "You're doing better!"

"Yes," Ishida managed, gently pushing Orihime away, "and I would be doing even better than I am without you trying to break my ribs from hugging."

"Way to be a gentleman," Ichigo said with a smirk. Ishida gave him an annoyed look.

"Just because this is your house doesn't mean you're the smartest one here, Kurosaki," Ishida warned. Ichigo gave him a laid back smile in return.

"I don't remember ever saying I was the smartest; it's been pretty clear from the- HEY!"

Kon was messing with Ichigo's laptop, and, upon realizing that, Ichigo picked up the stuffed lion and _punted_ it into the closet. Still annoyed, Ichigo followed up that move by placing heavy objects over Kon and then shutting the closet door.

"Stay in there and don't make a sound," he growled, turning away, only to see Orihime and Uryu now sitting next to each other, Orihime with Ichigo's laptop.

"And then the chapter ended with them finding this guy in white," Orihime finished, the excitement in her voice plain. "Isn't that so cool?"

"Well," Uryu replied, pushing up his glasses, "it's certainly strange. From what you've said, it seems that this person – whoever they are – has strangely extensive knowledge of the Soul Society, soul reapers, and Ichigo."

"That's not even the weird part," Ichigo muttered, pushing Uryu to one side and taking his laptop back from Orihime. "Listen to this: 'Everyone turned and saw a man dressed like a soul reaper slowly walking over, holding his side and limping slightly. He vaguely resembled Ichigo.' And then, it goes on and says it's my dad!"

"Your dad?" Uryu clarified, his frown deepening. "How strange. Is there any further information that you've left out?"

"You shouldn't assume that we left any out!" Ichigo snapped.

Uryu looked like he was going to reply in kind, but instead sighed. "Fine. Either way, the only thing I can think of is continuing to read this story. That is the best way I can see of finding out more about this situation."

"Yes!" Orihime cheered, way too excited about the whole ordeal.

"Wait," Ichigo said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uryu, why are you even here? Even Orihime had a reason."

"I was getting sewing supplies and I decided I would take the scenic route home," Uryu replied stiffly. "Your father invited me inside, and I figured it would be rude to refuse."

Before Ichigo could say anything in response, he felt a buzzing in his pocket. Fishing around, he pulled out his substitute soul reaper badge. The wooden thing was flashing.

"There's a hollow," Ichigo realized, speaking out loud. Immediately, he slammed the badge into his chest, forcing his soul form out of his body. "Orihime!"

"Yes?"

"You catch Uryu up on everything that fan fiction says, okay? I'll be back in a few minutes."

Orihime nodded, picking up the laptop off of Ichigo's unconscious body and sliding over to Uryu. Meanwhile, Ichigo was bounding down the stairs, avoiding his family in the process. In less than twenty seconds he was out on the streets getting soaked by rain.

"So where's this hollow?" He muttered to himself, looking around. Zangetsu was strapped to his back, and there was a certain degree of comfort that Ichigo got from the blade.

The rain was making everything slippery, and the darkness wasn't helping anything at all. At least the constant drumming noise of water on the ground was soothing, and the occasional flash of lightning gave the area an eerie aura.

A distant roar pierced the air, sounding more like a wail than anything else.

"Gotcha."

Instantly, Ichigo was on the move, flash-stepping to get to the hollow before it could do any damage. It turned out to be only a few blocks from where Ichigo lived, and it was targeting the spirit of an old man carrying groceries.

"Hey, ugly!" Ichigo yelled, jumping down at the vaguely squid-like creature. Stupidly, the hollow looked up and received a sword cut straight down the middle.

Or, it would have, had the hollow not used a tentacle to bat Ichigo away into the nearest building.

"Ow," Ichigo grunted, picking himself out of the collapsed brick. In the back of his mind, he wondered how the news was going to explain the randomly damaged wall. The hollow roared again, making the spirit of the old man cry out in fear and hurriedly run in the other direction. However, he wasn't fast enough, and the hollow caught him around the waist with another tentacle-like arm.

"Let him go!" Quickly, Ichigo leaped forward, catching the hollow off-guard and managing to slice off the arm that was holding the old man. "Run," Ichigo told the spirit, knowing that he could let him pass on later. For now, the spirit complied, slipping and sliding away in the dark.

"You have cost me, soul reaper," the hollow hissed, waving its many arms in the air.

"Shut up," Ichigo replied, annoyed. "You sound so stupid."

Zangetsu flashed in the meager light of the storm, severing another two tentacles before the hollow had any time to react. While the appendages were still crashing to the ground, Ichigo was flying at the hollow's face, going in for the fatal blow.

However, something grabbed him around the waist from behind and sent him skidding over pavement. Blinking rain out of his eyes, Ichigo picked himself up and tried to figure out what had happened through the pain in his right side.

_There's . . . two?_ He thought with confusion. Sure enough, another hollow had appeared, bigger and even uglier than the first, something Ichigo hadn't thought was possible until now. The second one resembled a giant Cyclops, with a flat face and dark crimson skin. Both of the hollows shared the familiar glowing yellow eyes and overall ugliness.

"You never get any prettier, do you?" Ichigo grunted, adjusting his grip on Zangetsu.

In response, the hollows roared and charged.

Smirking, Ichigo waited until the hollows were about to crush him before rolling out of the way. While the two flew by, Ichigo counterattacked and managed to get the squid-like one in the mask. With a scream, the monster faded away. Its partner lashed out, but Ichigo was already out of range, hitting the ground and causing an explosion of dust. Concentrating, Ichigo moved his spirit energy to his sword.

"Getsuga . . ." The hollow started to back away, but it was far too late. "Tenshō!"

A crescent-shaped blade of black spirit energy outlined in red erupted from Ichigo's blade, ripping the hollow clean in two and sending it straight to the Soul Society. The dust was blown away, and the night returned to silence.

"Heh."

Ichigo sheathed Zangetsu and jogged over to where the spirit of the old man had been crouched.

"You okay?" Ichigo asked, holding out a hand. The man took it and nodded.

"Y-yessir. I'm perfectly alright."

Smiling, Ichigo pulled the man to his feet. "I'm no sir," he said gently, reaching for his sword. When the man began to panic, Ichigo tried to calm him down. "No, no! This sword also lets me pass spirits on to the afterlife!"

Grudgingly, the man stayed still as Ichigo pulled out his blade, though his grip on the bag of groceries he carried tightened considerably.

_I saw Rukia do it once, I think. How hard can it be?_

In one smooth motion, giving the spirit no time to react, Ichigo tapped the hilt of Zangetsu into the spirit's forehead and performed Konsō. For a moment, nothing happened, but then the spirit was engulfed in a bright blue light that forced Ichigo to shield his eyes. When he could see again, the spirit was gone.

Smiling, Ichigo sheathed his Zanpakutō and began to walk back home. He only made it about three steps before something colder than rain washed over him.

**"Ignoring me isn't nice, King."**

"Go away," Ichigo growled, putting a hand to his head and squeezing his eyes shut.

**"Why would I do that? I'm enjoying the scenery; really taking in everything that I'm going to get once I kick you out."**

Ichigo's whole body felt like it was burning and freezing at the same time.

**"The horse and the king are going to switch spots, _Ichigo_. Enjoy yourself while your false freedom lasts, because it won't be around for much longer. Soon enough, you'll be mine."**

As the hollow's maniacal laughter faded away, Ichigo found that he was on his knees, a puddle swirling around his legs. He was trembling, and a headache pulsed behind one eye.

After a minute spent staring into space while rivulets of rain flowed down his face, Ichigo slowly climbed to his feet.

_It's getting worse_, he thought.

He had considered going to Urahara, but decided against it. What could a guy like that do? This was an entirely different problem that Ichigo had to deal with on his own.

The thought wasn't comforting as Ichigo made his way home.

When Ichigo stepped back into his room, soaked from rain and lost deep in thought, he was caught completely unprepared for the slap he got from Orihime. For a moment, all Ichigo could do was reach up to his face where his cheek was stinging.

"You said you'd be back in a few minutes!" She cried, a worried expression on her face. "You took forty-eight!"

"She counted," Uryu drawled from behind her. He was scrolling through Ichigo's laptop. "On the bright side, it's given me plenty of time to examine the fan fiction."

"But I didn't let him go to a new chapter," Orihime put in. "I knew that you'd want to be here for that!" She seemed to think for a moment. "Oh, um, sorry about slapping you! I just got nervous."

Ichigo stared at the girl in front of him, letting his hand drop back to his side.

"It's okay."

Seconds later, Ichigo was back in his own body and holding his laptop in his lap, despite complaints from Uryu.

"But I'm the better reader!"

"Well, I'm the one sitting in the middle!"

"You're terrible at reading in the right voice!"

"Like you're any better!"

"Please read the story."

Both boys abruptly quieted down at Orihime's words. She had the expression of a kicked puppy on her face, something that, combined with her good looks, was nearly irresistible.

"No fair," Ichigo managed.

"Read. It." Orihime practically ordered, though she still had that puppy face.

After giving Uryu one more glare – which the Quincy reciprocated – Ichigo cleared his throat and looked back at the screen in front of him.

Clicking the next chapter, he began to read.

* * *

_I've already got five reviews? Cool!_

_Thanks for the support! _

_As a quick note, the story may not do constant switching between reactions and the "actual" fanfic. For now, it will, but maybe later I'll get lazy and not do that. However, I can promise that sometime within the next few chapters I get to put in the first scene I wrote for this story and - fun fact - it's exactly 3,333 words long. What are the odds?_

_Coming up: Ichigo's reunion with family and friends_

_-RoR_


	4. Chapter 4

**_Disclaimer: I do not and never have owned anything from Bleach._**

_At this point, when I say I have an update schedule, I'm lying. It's an excuse. It doesn't even exist. It's a flimsy cover for my __terrible updating habits that are somehow more reliable than my punctuality in real life._

_Anyway, there will be action with Ichigo and his hollow coming up within the next three chapters. As a side note, I'd be happy to take suggestions for the hollow's name, though I'm leaning pretty heavily towards "Shiro" simply because it's both easy and logical._

* * *

Chapter 4

_[fan fiction]_

Ichigo came to slowly, groping for consciousness like a blind man searching for light. When his eyes did open, he had to squint them shut again to avoid being blinded by the brightness above him.

"Oh, good. You're awake."

Cracking one eye open, Ichigo saw the lieutenant of the Fourth Division, Isane Kotetsu, leaning over him. A soft green glow was coming from her hands where she was holding them over Ichigo's left arm.

"Isane?" Ichigo managed, confused. "What happened? Why am I here?"

"You were badly injured in your fight with Aizen," Isane explained, sitting back and putting her hands in her lap. "We brought you to the Fourth Division barracks to heal you."

"Aizen?" Ichigo repeated. Immediately, he started to get up, despite the bandages all over his body. "I have to-!"

"You need to stay and rest!" Isane said, trying to push Ichigo back down, but it was a useless attempt.

Suddenly, the entire atmosphere of the room got considerably colder. Ichigo and Isane froze, with the latter hurriedly standing up and facing the doorway.

"Captain!" She said, looking surprised. "I thought you were tending to the other wounded!"

Retsu Unohana, captain of the Fourth Division, smiled gently.

"They are recovering well," she replied. "My skills aren't needed." Her eyes went past her lieutenant and came to rest on Ichigo, who was still stuck in the process of getting up. Instantly, Unohana's expression became much more menacing. "You aren't getting up, are you, Ichigo?" She asked icily. "After all, you should really get your rest."

It wasn't a suggestion; it was an order.

Eyes wide, Ichigo sank back down and stared up at the ceiling, heart pounding.

"Your friends will be coming in a minute or so," Unohana continued, all of the danger sliding right out of her voice and expression. "Make sure you don't aggravate your wounds!"

Once again, Ichigo got the idea that Unohana's words were less of a suggestion and more of an order.

"Yes ma'am," he muttered. Then Ichigo frowned, finally putting a finger on the strange feeling he'd been getting since he woke up. "Captain Unohana?" The woman glanced back at Ichigo, tilting her head to indicate that he should ask his question. "Where is my Zanpakutō? I feel really strange without it."

Unohana nodded.

"Of course. I will have Isane fetch it."

Twenty seconds later, Ichigo was given the giant sword and he held onto it gratefully. However, he still felt as though something was off. There was an empty space inside of him, one that hadn't been there before.

_I'm definitely not in bankai anymore_, he thought, confused, _but that shouldn't make me feel this way._

Lost in thought, Ichigo didn't notice the look that Isane and Urahara exchanged.

As the captain and her lieutenant took their leave, Ichigo's dad practically flew into the room, worry written all over his features.

"Ichigo," Isshin whispered, staring at his son who was lying on the mat before him, Zanpakutō clutched almost desperately in one hand, eyes open, and an unidentifiable expression on his face. He was bandaged from multiple wounds all over his body, likely inflicted by the blast of Reiatsu everyone had witnessed, and the chain that Isshin had seen forming during their time in the Dangai was gone, as was Ichigo's bankai. For a moment, Isshin reached out to touch Ichigo, as if to make sure he was real, but thought better of it seeing how injured he was.

"Hey dad," Ichigo replied, his gaze briefly flicking to his father before going back to the ceiling of the Fourth Squad's barracks.

"Did you . . . use the Final Getsuga Tenshō?" Isshin asked, his words hushed so that none of the others present could hear.

"I . . . I couldn't do it," Ichigo eventually replied, his amber eyes staring up at the sky while his left hand clenched into a fist. "I couldn't take that away from Zangetsu. I . . . he . . . dammit, Dad, he just wanted to protect me! He doesn't deserve to have that ripped away from him because I'm not strong enough to find another way!"

Isshin stared at his son, so passionate about a being that many could never connect to on such a level.

"But you did find another way," Isshin said, immediately calming his son down. "You defeated Aizen and saved the Soul Society. Ichigo, you- you-" Isshin had to pause while he got choked up and turned away. Ichigo rolled his eyes as he heard his father crying. "My son is famous!"

"Shut up, Dad," Ichigo muttered, scowling. "And I wasn't even sure if what I did would work."

"Technically it didn't," Isshin admitted, turning back around with a serious expression on his face. "The Hōgyoku is capable of fixing itself using the Reiatsu around it." Instantly, Ichigo's eyes shot wide open and he began to get up, but Isshin slammed his foot down on his son's chest, forcing him down.

"Dad!" Ichigo snapped, bracing to get up again. A punch from his father stunned him and he stayed down.

"I said, '_technically'_," Isshin sighed. "You need to pay more attention."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "That's what the problem is," he growled under his breath.

"_As I was saying_," Isshin Kurosaki continued, "the Hōgyoku technically was not destroyed; it was near where we found you, completely fine."

"That's not possible!" Ichigo snapped, some of the fire returning to his expression. "I felt it crack under Tensa Zangetsu! The thing even _exploded_!"

"That's something I can explain," a new voice drawled. Ichigo looked past his dad and saw Kisuke Urahara walking into the room; his fan was splayed across the lower half of his face. "You see, the Hōgyoku is . . . well, _alive_. When your Zanpakutō damaged it, it immediately tried to heal itself."

"Heal itself?" Ichigo repeated, frowning. "Like high-speed regeneration?"

"Not quite," Kisuke corrected, snapping his fan shut. "The Hōgyoku takes much more spirit energy to repair itself due to its capabilities and structure, which are so incredibly complex that-"

"Kisuke," Isshin interrupted, inclining his head towards Ichigo, who seemed to be falling asleep. Immediately, Urahara hit the tired boy over the head with his cane.

"Ow!" Ichigo yelled, holding the hand that had been attacked. "What was that for?!"

"For not listening," Urahara replied calmly, his fan back in place. "Now, the Hōgyoku takes more energy to heal itself than you would, Ichigo Kurosaki. Because of that, it appears to have taken its energy from the nearest available source."

"Aizen," Ichigo whispered with growing realization. Briefly, he recalled how Aizen had disintegrated right before his eyes in the explosion.

"Exactly!" Urahara declared brightly. "The Hōgyoku is fine, but Aizen is no more."

Ichigo realized he could hear someone sniffling again, and he didn't even bother to suppress a groan.

"Dad. Stop. You're pathetic."

"It's just," Isshin managed, wiping his eyes, "you're . . . you're . . ."

"I get it!" Ichigo snapped. "Seriously, Dad, you don't need to repeat everything! I'm not deaf!"

Isshin Kurosaki continued to be emotional, which was completely at odds with his appearance. Ichigo still wasn't used to seeing his father in a shinigami uniform. He was just too _professional_ looking.

"What happened to the Hōgyoku?" Ichigo eventually asked, looking at Urahara. "Did you take it back?"

Urahara laughed, seeming to find Ichigo's question hilarious.

"Of course not! Yamamoto would never let me have my hands on something like that again!"

"So what happened to it?" Ichigo pressed, propping himself up slightly.

"He took it to some secret stash of toys," Urahara replied, waving a hand. "There's no need to worry about it."

"That's not going to stop me from worrying."

"I never said it would."

Ichigo was quiet for a moment, thinking.

_If there's a time to bring up the weird feeling that I have_, he realized, _now is it._

"Dad-" Ichigo started, but he was interrupted by the arrival of his friends.

The room became abruptly more crowded with the appearance of Tatsuki, Chizuru, Keigo, Mizuiro, Orihime, Uryu, and Chad. Don Kanonji had already returned to the human world, claiming that he was needed for something.

"Ichigo!" Orihime cried, kneeling next to the boy she'd known for so long. "You're hurt!"

"I'm fine," Ichigo corrected, trying to ease Orihime's worry. He ignored Isshin's snort, but watched as his father and Kisuke Urahara took their leave.

_There goes my opportunity. Oh well._

"Leave it to you to tear up a quarter of the Soul Society in a fight," Uryu said, pushing up his glasses.

"It's not like I had a choice!" Ichigo retorted.

Tatsuki watched, trying to connect the animated boy with the calm, collected one she had seen grab Aizen and propel him far away.

_It doesn't fit, _she thought, eyes wide. When Ichigo glanced up at her, she shied away. _But his hair is still longer, and he's definitely taller. I don't get it._

"Hey, Tatsuki," Ichigo said, smiling slightly. Then he frowned. "Wait, what are you guys doing in the Soul Society?"

"We were conscious when they moved Karakura Town here," Mizuiro explained calmly. "They figured that we could stay until you woke up, especially because Tatsuki was concerned for your safety."

"I was not!" Tatsuki snapped.

"Either way," Chad said quietly from the wall, "we will be leaving soon. The head captain apparently is not fond of having so many strangers on his land."

"Makes sense," Ichigo muttered, brushing a few stray hairs out of his face. He then frowned. "I'm going to need to get a haircut."

"NO!"

Ichigo flinched at the combined response of Chizuru, Tatsuki, and Orihime.

"Geez," he coughed, looking up at the three girls. "What's that about?"

"Nothing," they replied in unison, though Orihime's voice was considerably higher than the others', almost a squeak.

"Say, Ichigo," Keigo said in the ensuing awkward silence, "when did you get so tall? And when _did_ you have time for your hair to grow?"

"Um," Ichigo answered. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"We've got time," Tatsuki said, sitting cross-legged on a convenient mat. Everyone else followed suit, and Ichigo realized what it must be like for a teacher in a classroom. With a sigh, he began to talk.

"Basically, there's two worlds: the human world and the Soul Society as you guys already know. The way to travel between the two is through the Precipice World, where time flows a lot differently. Basically, three months in there is equal to about an hour in the Soul Society and Human world. That's how I was able to train to confront Aizen, because he destroyed the thing in the Precipice World that usually stops people from staying there for too long, and my dad could slow down the other defense mechanism that would've swallowed me."

There was a momentary silence.

"So you're saying that you're three months older than you were two days ago?" Uryu asked. Ichigo nodded.

"That's a little confusing, but yeah."

"That would explain the height and hair," Mizuiro noted.

"So . . ." Chizuru said, sidling up to Orihime. "How about we all have a _giant_ group hug, with Orihime in the middle and me- oomph!"

Tatsuki's foot hit Chizuru right in the stomach, sending the other girl crumpling to the ground.

"Ow," Chizuru moaned from the ground. Orihime just looked confused.

"Chizuru does have a point, though," Mizuiro said, draining the tension in the room. "What now?"

Silence descended over the room as everyone thought things through. For a few minutes, all that was audible was the sound of hurried footsteps outside the room from hassled Fourth Division members.

"I guess . . ." Ichigo started, thinking as he spoke, "that I'll stay here for a bit. It seems like they could use my help in fixing things until the Guard Squads are at full strength. You guys should head back before your families get worried. I mean, they probably moved Karakura Town back by now, right?"

"Yeah, they did," Tatsuki replied. "But, are you sure? Don't you want to go back?"

Ichigo shook his head.

"There's more that I can do here. I know Karin and Yuzu are all right, and my old man is more of a danger to himself than anyone else. It'll be fine." _Plus, I need to figure out what's wrong with me_, Ichigo added silently.

"They're not going to let us come back here, are they?"

"Probably not, Chizuru," Ichigo replied. "They've got a thing about Ryoka, y'know?"

Uryu coughed and looked away while Chad scratched his neck and found interest in the floor. Even Orihime took a few seconds to play with her hair.

" . . . Right," Keigo said, looking between the four of them. "Is there something I'm missing? Did you guys do something without me?"

"Trust me," Uryu muttered while pushing up his glasses, "you don't want to know."

"Aw," Keigo responded, his face falling.

There was a knock at the door, prompting everyone to turn as a member of the Fourth Division opened the door and looked into the room.

"The Head Captain has ordered the humans –" Uryu coughed loudly, " – and Quincy to be returned to the Human World as soon as possible." He sounded apologetic, but no one in the room seemed surprised by the news.

As everyone was standing, Orihime glanced back down at Ichigo. "You're sure you're going to be okay all alone?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah," Ichigo answered, giving his friend a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine. You need to go home, Orihime."

Ichigo watched her leave and heard the door shut behind her. When the room was quiet again, Ichigo let out a huge sigh that quickly morphed into a yawn.

_I'll just take a short nap,_ he thought drowsily, his eyelids dragging themselves shut. _I'll just . . . sleep . . ._

* * *

_Not much action, but necessary oh-my-god-Ichigo-you're-not-dead-that's-awesome stuff. _

_Please leave a review before you leave._

_-RoR_

_Coming up: Ichigo & Co. freaking out because this fan fiction would actually be really creepy if you think about it_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from ****Bleach. Never have, never will.**

_For those of you who are waiting for Ichigo's inner hollow, he _will _be showing up next chapter, and will continue to show up in the not-reaction chapters afterwards. Sorry about it taking so long, but I needed to get all my bases covered. Also, because this chapter is short and a reaction chapter, I will be uploading the next chapter in a few hours._

* * *

Chapter 5

"Ooh," Orihime giggled, "Uryu, you were in this chapter!"

"I do not push my glasses up that much!" Uryu protested, pushing up his glasses. Ichigo laughed.

"You totally do!"

The three abruptly became serious.

"You're correct in how strange this is," Uryu said, frowning. "The knowledge this author has is unsettling, to say the least. He seems to have extensive knowledge of us, our personalities, even our habits."

Neither of the two boys noticed how red Orihime's face was getting.

_If they know this much_, Orihime though, panicking inside her own mind, _does that mean that they know about-?_

"Hey, Orihime, you okay?"

Orihime glanced up to see Ichigo giving her a concerned look. Hurriedly, she nodded and beamed at him. "Yes! I'm perfectly all right!"

"Okay. Uryu?"

"Yes?"

"You do push your glasses up that much."

"Why you-!"

"GUYS!" Orihime yelled, getting surprising volume that stopped Uryu and Ichigo in their tracks. "We should be focusing on the story now, not fighting over Uryu's weird habits!"

"It's not weird!"

Orihime gave Ishida one of her rare dark looks and he shut up. Ichigo looked between the two of them and then grinned.

"You have to show me how to do that sometime, Orihime."

He shut up as well when Orihime turned the expression on him.

"Anyway," Orihime said brightly, the darkness abruptly vanishing, "we should talk about Ichigo's dad! He seems to be really cool!"

Ichigo scoffed.

"That's not the word I would use, Orihime."

"Really? Then what would you say?"

"Well, I'd start with-"

Ichigo was interrupted by another knock at his door. The three friends exchanged a look of confusion.

"I might as well keep my door open and mail out invitations," Ichigo muttered, handing his laptop to Orihime and getting up. "I swear, if it's my dad . . ."

Ichigo yanked open the door, revealing the person on the other side.

"Rukia?" Ichigo asked incredulously. "What are you _doing_ here?"

The short woman swept past Ichigo and quickly grabbed a chair to sit on. She was in a gigai,and both Uryu and Orihime looked just as surprised to see her.

"I'll be brief," Rukia said, pulling out a notebook. In it, there were several really questionable drawings that illustrated what Rukia was saying. "Essentially, the Soul Society heard rumors of a large Hollow attack on Karakura Town because of its unusually high levels of spirit energy. Because of this, three Soul Reapers have been detached here to keep an eye on things."

It was clear that the people in the room were restraining themselves from commenting on Rukia's lack of artistic prowess.

"Three?" Ichigo repeated, frowning. "That doesn't make sense. Why send three? Why not one? And it's not like I can't handle hollows on my own!"

Ichigo tried not to remember the "attack" he'd had after beating the two hollows earlier. Outside, lightning flashed, briefly turning Ichigo's room a brilliant blue.

"We're not doubting your abilities, Ichigo," Rukia said, "but the Soul Society can't take anymore risks. With the betrayal of Aizen and the loss of three captains, we simply can't risk a hollow invasion without already having soul reapers present."

"So who are the soul reapers?" Orihime asked, leaning forward slightly.

"I'd like to know the same thing," Uryu added.

"I'm one of them," Rukia answered.

"Obviously," Ichigo muttered, earning a punch from Rukia that sent him reeling.

"Renji and Ikkaku are also coming. We have divided Karakura Town into three sections, and will be patrolling each." Rukia eyed Ichigo. "Two hollows appeared in my district a little while ago, but vanished."

"I'm not just going to sit back and watch you do all the work," Ichigo muttered, crossing his arms.

"I'm not asking you to. Just be careful if you face a hollow, and if more than one appears, wait for Renji, Ikkaku, or me for backup."

"Fine."

"Anyway, what are you three doing here?" Rukia asked. "Is there some crisis going on that I was not aware of?"

"We don't only meet when there's a crisis," Ichigo muttered. Rukia gave him a look.

"Yes, you do. Now, care to explain?"

"Um, it's actually not a crisis," Ichigo said. "I wasn't kidding."

"Then what is it?"

"A fan fiction!" Orihime said brightly.

"A . . . what?" Rukia was clearly confused.

"Fan fiction," Uryu repeated. "It's on a website that Ichigo found, and it contains stories written by many people."

"Writers?"

" . . . Some of them."

"I don't see why this is so concerning that all of you would need to show up," Rukia stated, frowning. "Unless it's a really good story, of course."

"Oh, it's fantastic!" Orihime cried, clapping. Then she changed her mind. "Well, the writing isn't as good as some other books that I've read, but the story is really interesting!"

"Interesting how?" Rukia asked.

"Well, the fact that it's about me is part of it," Ichigo stated. Rukia raised an eyebrow.

"Did you get a fan club at school or something, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo reddened. "W-what? No! I don't even know who wrote this!"

"Rukia," Uryu said, trying to get everyone focused again, "the story contains descriptions of soul reapers, the Seireitei to some extent, and even Ichigo's father. It even mentions Aizen and the Hōgyoku."

Rukia's eyes shot wide open. "The Hōgyoku? Let me see it, now!"

Ichigo handed over his laptop with a slight roll of his eyes at Uryu.

_She probably doesn't even know how to work a laptop_, Ichigo thought.

He was quite surprised to see Rukia handling the technology with no trouble at all as she looked through the story.

"Uh, Rukia?"

"Yes?"

"When did you learn to use a computer?"

Rukia glanced up from the screen and gave Ichigo a condescending look.

"It's not like every time I came here I passed up the opportunity to become familiar with human technology. I knew that someday the knowledge would become useful."

"That's cheating," Ichigo muttered.

"No, it's called being smart," Rukia replied. Then her eyes narrowed. "Strange . . . you weren't kidding, Uryu."

Rukia spent the next few minutes reading the first two chapters, her expression growing darker and darker as she did so. Eventually, she handed the laptop back to Ichigo, her expression troubled.

"I should report this," she said.

"Or," Orihime suggested, a hopeful look on her face, "we could finish reading the fan fiction and _then_ make a decision on what to do!"

"You're too focused on reading this story," Uryu muttered, but he didn't protest.

"I have to agree with Orihime," Ichigo stated, taking his computer back from Rukia. "Now that the story's actually getting interesting, I want to know what happens."

He didn't add that he wanted to see what this "guy in white" was. If the writer already knew so much about everyone, maybe . . . maybe he or she would inadvertently give Ichigo a way to deal with his own hollow.

"You all agree on this?" Rukia asked, looking at each person in front of her in turn. They all nodded, and the shinigami sighed. "All right then. I will delay my report until we find out more about this story."

"Yes!" Orihime cheered, pumping one arm in the air. Ichigo and Uryu gave her blank looks, which she either didn't notice or ignored.

"Ichigo," Rukia suddenly said, looking around the room in a confused way.

"Yeah? What is it, Rukia?"

"Where's Kon?"

Muffled swearing became audible from the closet.

"For a stuffed animal," Uryū commented, "he has quite the vocabulary."

"Is he okay?" Orihime asked, genuine worry visible in her eyes. Ichigo scoffed.

"He's fine, and I'm not letting him outta there. He'll just be even more perverted than normal now that Rukia's shown up."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rukia demanded. Ichigo glanced back at her and shrugged.

"Dunno. But you have to have noticed by now that he's weirdly obsessed with you."

"Of course I have! I'm not stupid!"

"Can we just agree not to let the lion out of the closet?" Uryū asked, pushing up his glasses. "Last I checked, we had more important things to worry about."

"Like reading!" Orihime declared, her familiar grin lighting up her face.

"Orihime?"

"Yes, Ichigo?"

"Are you going to spend time on that website once this is over?"

Orihime momentarily paused, her happy expression frozen on her face.

" . . . Maybe."

Ichigo groaned.

"Can we please get on with reading?" Rukia snapped. "I don't need to remind you that I have other duties I need to attend to as soon as possible, and your bickering is only slowing me down!"

"No need to be so touchy," Ichigo muttered. His comment earned him a smack over the head from Rukia. "Hey!"

"Just read," Rukia ordered, sitting back down in her chair, her expression hard.

After giving Rukia an annoyed look, Ichigo grabbed his laptop and started to read.

"Ichigo glanced at the –"

There was a spark; a crashing noise, and then the light in the room went out with not even a flicker. Orihime squeaked in fear, Rukia jumped up with her sword at the ready, and Uryū remained calm. Ichigo just sighed, like he had expected this.

"I told dad that we should've cut down that tree," he said, annoyed. "Now we've lost power because of it."

"What happened?" Rukia asked, taking from Ichigo's body language the fact that whatever had just happened wasn't an immediate threat to anyone's safety.

_She didn't learn as much about human technology as she would like to think_, Ichigo thought smugly, though he was smart enough not to voice his thoughts out loud.

"The storm caused a tree to fall on a local power line," Ichigo explained, "which stopped the flow of electricity to the house. Therefore, no lights and no power."

Hearing the explanation, Rukia sat back down after sheathing her blade, though she was clearly tenser than she had been before.

"Ichigo?" Orihime asked, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain pounding against the house.

"Yeah? What is it, Orihime?"

"Does this mean that we can't read the story?" For some reason, the question seemed to carry a ridiculous weight to it.

Ichigo stared at the silhouette of his friend, struggling to form an answer. Eventually, his brain reconnected to his mouth.

"Of course not! My computer's at – um – seventy-three percent battery!" _What was Karin _doing_ on here?_ "There's no need to worry, Orihime. We can keep reading for a while yet."

The girl let out a relieved breath. "Oh, that's good. For a second, I thought we were going to have to find some other way of reading the story!"

Ichigo, Rukia, and Uryū were somehow able to exchange glances even in the dark. Thanks to a sudden flash of lightning, all three of them could see the wide smile on Orihime's face. As the light died, Orihime moved closer to Ichigo again, not noticing the concerned look the boy was giving her.

"Can you read now?" She pleaded. "I wanna know what happens!"

Ichigo groaned, trying to think up an excuse to delay the inevitable. "But my throat is dry!"

"You weren't complaining about that before," Uryū pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Uryū," Ichigo growled, "shut up."

"Ichigo, get some water," Rukia ordered. "Uryū will read until you get back."

"Why don't I just read the entire time?" Uryū asked. "I'm clearly the more articulate person here."

"But it's Ichigo's story," Rukia replied coldly. "Ichigo, if you aren't back within five minutes I will drag you back up here."

Ichigo gulped, seeing the scary expression on Rukia's face, one that he hadn't seen since he had first become a substitute soul reaper. He was gone in a flash, his door slamming shut behind him.

"Ahem."

Uryū coughed, picked up Ichigo's laptop, and made a large fuss about adjusting the brightness of the screen and zooming in slightly on the text. The entire time, Orihime was practically perched over his shoulder.

"Orihime," Uryū sighed, "I can't read with you positioned like that. It's too distracting."

Orihime pouted, but moved back.

"Ichigo doesn't need me to move back," she muttered. Uryū Ishida heard her, and one of his eyes twitched, but he didn't react in any other noticeable way.

This time, when he prepared to read, Ichigo burst back into the room with a half-empty plastic water bottle in one hand. He nearly tripped over the various items scattered on the floor, and he almost ran into the seated Rukia, but somehow he avoided both scenarios.

"I'm back!" He announced, tossing the bottle onto where his bed probably was and dropping to sit between Orihime and Uryū again, missing sitting on Orihime by a few hairs. "Ishida, can I have my laptop?"

"But – but – " Uryū Ishida started, unable to express the unfairness of it all. Ichigo made a "give it to me" motion, and Uryū reluctantly complied, silently bemoaning the loss of his reading privilege. Ichigo took the only source of light in the room and grinned.

"Thank you," Ichigo said simply, grinning at his friend and not seeming to notice the Quincy's obvious distress. "Now, let's do this _without_ any interruptions."

"You just want to read so that I won't," Uryū muttered. Ichigo smirked at him.

"So?"

Uryū muttered something else that obviously wasn't complimentary, but Ichigo chose to ignore it. He and Uryū had small fights all the time, so neither of them could really be offended by what the other said.

Clearing his throat in much the same way that Uryū had earlier, Ichigo started to read the next chapter. This time, nothing else happened to stop the reading, and as Ichigo spoke he became more confident, until everyone was absorbed in the story.

* * *

_Poor Uryū. Then again, he is kind of pompous at times._

_It would be awesome to see the fifty-odd people who look at each chapter review (or at least one of you)! To those of you who have already, thank you!_

_-RoR_

_Coming up: Ichigo + Inner Hollow = Outer conflict_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Unsurprisingly, I do not own anything from Bleach.**

_This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call a "the author had no idea what to do and spent hours exploring a fictional character's psyche to understand him and ended up feeling half-insane by the end of it" chapter. So yeah. I feel kind of bad that Ichigo's hollow is only really showing up now; it's taken me way too long to bring him in, which I apologize for, because personally he's my favorite character. Also, I've discovered that holding conversations with fictional characters in my mind is not a good way to convince other people that I'm entirely sane._

_Anyway._

**_Notes:_**

**_I think people swear a lot. Therefore, lots of swears in the story. Sorry if that's not what you guys believe, but it's how I write._**

**_Ichigo's inner thoughts: _**_Hello_

**_The hollow's weird double voice: Hello (I hope you guys already figured this one out)_**

* * *

Chapter 6

Ichigo woke up much more easily this time, and as his eyes opened he realized that he felt a lot more refreshed. Yawning, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them.

"Good. You're awake."

Glancing up, Ichigo saw Isane standing over him.

"Hey, Isane," Ichigo muttered, yawning a second time. "How long was I sleeping for?"

"About eight hours," Isane replied. "If you'll excuse me, I need to report to lady Unohana and tell her that you have woken up."

Ichigo nodded and watched as the lieutenant left.

Just when Ichigo thought he was going to get piece and quiet, a very familiar voice came from outside one of the walls and was rapidly rising in volume.

"GooooooooOOOOD MOOOORNIIIIING ICHIGO!"

Ichigo quickly rolled to one side as his father burst through one of the walls, his foot landing right where Ichigo's head had been a second earlier.

"What the hell, dad?" Ichigo yelled. "We're in the Seireitei, not our house!"

"You've got to be ready for anything at any time!" Isshin replied, puffing out his chest. He was caught completely off-guard by Ichigo's fist, which sent him back through the hole in the wall that Isshin had created.

Muttering various insulting phrases directed at his father, Ichigo shook out his fist and prepared to lie back down. However, he was forced to pause, as the room seemed to get ten degrees colder. Looking up, Ichigo found he was trapped in the gaze of Captain Retsu Unohana. Though the woman was smiling, there was something extremely dangerous about the way she folded her hands.

"Kurosaki," she said, not moving a muscle, "I hope you and your father are not fighting in the fourth division barracks. That would disturb the others who are being tended to here."

Ichigo couldn't speak and goose bumps covered his body.

"Uh . . ."

Isshin was suddenly next to his son, throwing an arm around the smaller boy.

"Relax, Unohana," Isshin said, the only person in the area who was not completely shaken by Unohana's gaze. "I was just giving my son a friendly greeting!"

"A friendly greeting," Unohana repeated. Her eyes travelled to the hole in the wall. "That is what you considered friendly, Isshin?"

Ichigo was finding it hard to breathe as his father was practically choking him. Glancing at his father, Ichigo saw how pale his face was. Apparently he wasn't as unaffected by Unohana as he liked to pretend.

"Dad," Ichigo gasped, grasping at the arm around his neck, "you're . . . choking . . . me . . ."

"Whoops!"

Isshin abruptly let Ichigo loose and the red-haired boy collapsed to the ground, coughing and holding his throat.

Unohana's patient (_menacing_) smile never left her face throughout the entire exchange.

"Sorry, Captain Unohana," Isshin replied sheepishly.

"Asshole," Ichigo managed as his coughing fit began to subside.

"Now, Isshin Kurosaki," Unohana said, "don't you think it's time to introduce your son to his friend?"

Ichigo couldn't help but notice the way his father tensed up slightly. Then he sighed.

"I suppose we can't put it off any longer."

"Put what off, Dad?" Ichigo demanded, not liking the way his old man was acting. "Hey! Answer me!"

"Just come on, Ichigo," Isshin muttered, pushing past his indignant son and walking into the hallway. "You'll find out soon enough anyway."

Ichigo frowned but followed his father, picking up Zangetsu on the way and putting the blade on his back. Immediately, he felt better.

"Hey, Dad," Ichigo said as they walked, "there was something I wanted to ask you about earlier."

Isshin glanced back at his son, noting the serious expression on his face. "What is it?"

"I – I don't really know how to explain it." Ichigo made a few vague hand gestures as he spoke, seemingly without realizing it. "I feel . . . weird. Like there's something missing from me. I can't put my finger on it, but it's been bugging me for a while now and the feeling won't go away."

Frowning, Isshin digested what his son was saying, and then awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ichigo, I think what we're about to show you will be more than enough of an explanation for how you're feeling."

Ichigo shot his father a questioning look, but was forced to drop the conversation when Unohana stopped by a door. It was hard not to see the extra reinforcements on the frame, and the sealing Kidō that practically hung in the air like a cloud.

"In here," Unohana said, losing some of her usual (scary) cheer. "Try to stay calm, Ichigo," she added, which had the adverse effect on the nervous teenager.

"What-?"

Ichigo's question was cut off so quickly it practically hung in the air for a moment before fading. Strapped to a wall across from Ichigo was someone that the orange-haired teen had never expected to see.

The boy was a mirror image of Ichigo in every physical sense except color. His skin and hair were white, and though his eyes were currently closed Ichigo knew his irises were yellow while his sclera were black. The boy also wore a white Shihakushō with a black undergarment.

"It's . . . not possible," Ichigo managed in a strangled voice. "He – he . . . can't be out here!"

"Oh, trust me," Isshin muttered, "hell was raised when we first brought him here. He was just as badly injured as you were, Ichigo, but he still hasn't woken up yet. Most of the Shinigami wanted to lock him up, but Unohana insisted on treating him here."

Ichigo stared at the fourth division captain, gaining new respect for her. She went against the Shinigami just based on her personal principles, and for a _hollow_?

"It was the right thing to do," Unohana said calmly by way of explanation.

"But how . . .?" Ichigo muttered, unable to even finish the question as he took another step towards the hollow chained to the other wall. Faintly, Ichigo could make out the lines of bandages on the other boy, showing that he had, in fact, gotten medical care.

"From what we can tell," Urahara stated, walking into the room like his sudden appearance wasn't unexpected at all, "the massive explosion that the Hōgyoku created, and the even greater amounts of Reiatsu that were released at the same time, caused your own Reiatsu levels to become unbalanced. As a result, he was pulled out of your body and manifested in the real world using the available Reiatsu."

Completing his explanation, Urahara snapped his fan back over his face like he hadn't just dropped a bombshell of information on Ichigo.

The boy in question opened his mouth to say something, closed it, and then sighed, squeezing the bridge of his nose.

"But . . ." Ichigo started, thinking as he spoke, "Why wasn't I killed in that explosion? I . . . kind of remember seeing Aizen get pulled apart and then . . . sucked into the Hōgyoku?" Ichigo sounded unsure of the last bit, his voice rising inquisitively at the last word.

"That's slightly more complicated, so I guess I can explain it to you again, and the present captain while I'm at it," Urahara drawled, glancing at Isshin and Unohana. "I discussed the matter with Mayuri – " Ichigo flinched at the mention of the insane captain – "and we came to the conclusion that the Hōgyoku, in order to repair itself, needed to take back its Reiatsu from Aizen. Having been fused with the Hōgyoku, Aizen's entire body was absorbed in the process."

Ichigo winced at the idea.

"But why didn't any of my Reiatsu get absorbed?" Ichigo pressed, trying to keep his eyes from drifting over to the white figure a few feet away.

"We're not entirely sure," Urahara admitted, not seeming to be too upset over that fact despite his scientific nature. "However, we're pretty sure it had something to do with him." Urahara's head jerked towards Ichigo's inner hollow. "Not sure how, but it's the only plausible explanation."

"Oh," was all Ichigo could say.

_He . . . rescued me?_

Considering what had happened in Ichigo's inner world while Ichigo was in the Dangai, Ichigo wasn't completely shocked, but he was still surprised.

"Um, when is he going to wake up?" Ichigo questioned. "If he's the same as me, shouldn't he wake up soon?"

**"Who says I'm the same as you?"**

Everyone in the room immediately looked at the hollow, which hadn't moved, but it had clearly been him who had spoken.

"You're awake," Ichigo stated, nothing else coming to mind.

_Is he going to try and kill me? I wouldn't put it past him . . ._

**"Obviously I'm awake, idiot," **the hollow snapped, looking up. As Ichigo had expected, his eyes were yellow and black.

Ichigo glanced at his father. Isshin's lips had thinned, but that was his only reaction to seeing his son's inner hollow. For the record, Ichigo was impressed. Usually his father wasn't so controlled. Even Urahara was giving more of a reaction; his eyes were wide and he looked like he was taking mental notes. Unohana, on the other hand, had taken leave of the room at some point. However, Ichigo got the feeling she would be back the second something went wrong with that (scary) nice smile on her face.

Shivering slightly, Ichigo made a note never to be on the receiving end of the look again, but he knew it was pointless to do so. He was going to end up in trouble whether he liked it or not.

"Hi," Ichigo said lamely, not sure what to say. How do you talk to something that shouldn't exist outside of your inner world without special training?

**"Hi?" **The hollow repeated mockingly. **"You see me chained to a wall and the only thing you can say is _hi_?" **A sickeningly familiar manic smile covered the hollow's face. **"You're even dumber than I remember, King."**

_We're back to the king thing again. Great._

"Sorry for not being more accommodating," Ichigo snapped. "I was a little bit busy recovering!"

The hollow snorted. **"Chi. Sure you were."**

"What are you trying to say?"

**"That you're an idiot. C'mon, think it through. This shouldn't be so hard for you, _King_."**

"Shut up."

**"No."**

Ichigo barely resisted the urge to punch his hollow in the face, but even so he radiated annoyance.

Isshin and Kisuke exchanged a calculating look and then Kisuke pulled his hat down and covered his eyes in a way that made Ichigo _very_ apprehensive. It was never a good sign when Urahara did that.

"We'll leave you two alone," both men said at the same time.

"What? No!"

Before Ichigo could stop them, his father and Urahara had used Shunpo and escaped the room.

"I'll get you for this!" Ichigo yelled, banging on the door they had closed and locked. Since it was reinforced, Ichigo couldn't open it without bringing down the wrath of Unohana on him, and there was no way he was going to risk that.

**"You afraid of spending time with me, King?" **The hollow asked maliciously, that crazy grin back on his face. Ichigo scoffed.

"Of course not. You don't scare me, hollow."

The hollow didn't seem to have a ready response for that, so, much to Ichigo's surprise, he switched the topic.

**"Call me something else."**

"What?"

**"I said,"** the hollow repeated through clenched teeth, a look of anger replacing the grin, **"Call me something else. I don't like being referred to as 'Hollow' all the time. It's annoying! Can you imagine only being called what you _are_?"**

"Never thought you'd care about that," Ichigo commented, while simultaneously thinking _yes_. He barely flinched when the hollow strained against the chains that held him in place, radiating pure rage. After a few moments, the hollow collapsed back, breathing heavily. "Done?"

**"Shut up."**

"I would, but I can't."

Ichigo's inner hollow didn't say anything else, instead finding something of great interest on the floor in front of him.

_Other than that outburst, he's not acting as insane as usual. _Eyes narrowing, Ichigo leaned up against the wall, ignoring how his hair was falling over one of his eyes. He'd already gotten used to it, so at this point he didn't find himself caring all that much.

**" . . . Can you . . . " **The hollow sounded like he was forcing out the most bitter words in existence as he spoke. **" . . . get these chains off of me?"**

_Is he being serious?_

"Of course not!" Ichigo snapped hastily, trying to cover for his delay. "You'd probably try to kill me!"

_I'm not sure about that, but I want to know if he's been faking._

**"I would not!"**

"Yes you would! I know _exactly_ what you want to do to me, so don't give me that crap!"

The hollow snarled, dropping the subdued façade he had put on to try and get Ichigo to free him.

**"I'm going to kill you."**

_I knew it._

"Reason number two why I'm not letting you out of those chains."

**"Wait, you were going to let me out of them before?" **The hollow was clearly caught off-guard by that bit of information. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Maybe, but that option is out the window now."

**"That's not fair!"** Ichigo's inverted double pulled against the chains again, and the metal gave an ominous sounding creak that Ichigo tried to ignore. What Ichigo couldn't ignore, however, were the desperate tones that were mixed in with the hollow's voice. **"You can't keep my locked up here! I don't deserve this! Get these chains OFF!" **

_Is he . . . panicking?_

**"King, LET ME OUT!"**

Briefly, Ichigo flashed back to when he had fought his hollow for control over his hollowfication, back at the Visoreds' hideout.

"No." Even Ichigo was surprised at the amount of coldness he had crammed into his voice within that one syllable.

What was more surprising was the way Ichigo's hollow _reacted_. Not only did he shut up, but also after going as wide as saucers the hollow's eyes narrowed considerably and he leaned back. Somehow, he had managed to go pale, something that his white skin would seem to make impossible. Some of the pride left his posture and he seemed to just . . . deflate. The chains made soft clinking noises as the hollow settled, which really didn't help the tense atmosphere that permeated the room.

_Where the hell is Zangetsu when I need him?_

Somehow, Ichigo got the feeling that the old man wouldn't be able to help him with this.

_And why is my inner hollow acting so weird?_

Ichigo wrestled with his thoughts for a few minutes, trying to figure out a plan. It wasn't his strong suit, and having his inner hollow in the same room wasn't helping anything whatsoever. Right now, that moment in Ichigo's inner world when Ichigo had let himself get stabbed by his Zanpakutō was clearly not in play; the hollow was acting like that had never happened.

Faintly, Ichigo was aware of the hollow's breathing. It was almost ragged.

_Is there something wrong with him? Now that I think about it, I can't sense that much Reiatsu coming from him, even though I suck at sensing much of anything. Shouldn't he be strong enough to break the chains?_

The longer Ichigo stared at the huddled figure before him, the more confused he got.

_He's not anything like he was before. He's almost weaker, and why was he practically begging me to let him out of the chains? It doesn't add up; he wouldn't _use_ those tactics to try and trick me._

Ichigo came to the concrete conclusion that something had changed his hollow. Most likely, it had been the Hōgyoku, but Ichigo couldn't be sure. Either way, he found that he was actually slightly disturbed at the idea.

_But it doesn't explain why he was outright panicking._

Ichigo mulled that thought over.

_I didn't even know that hollow's could feel fear . . . but . . ._

He recalled another incident, one that nearly slipped his memory. When Muramasa had invaded Ichigo's inner world and Ichigo's hollow had been caught, Ichigo had needed to step in. However, before he did, Ichigo's inner hollow had been about to be executed by the rogue Zanpakutō. Ichigo remembered seeing naked fear in the hollow's eyes.

_How did I forget about that?_

Thoughts of Ichigo's inner world only made Ichigo more confused.

_Now that I think about it, what does my inner hollow even go in my inner world? He doesn't run free, I know that much. Zangetsu always kept him in check, I think._

With a start, Ichigo came to a thought that chilled him when he considered the current situation.

_If my inner hollow is kept in chains in my own mind almost all the time . . ._

Unbeknownst to Ichigo, the hollow was watching him carefully, unidentifiable expressions flitting across his features faster than the eye could follow.

_And if he wakes up in the real world, free, for the first time in a long time, only to discover that he's chained again . . . And then he sees me, and thinks that he has a hope of getting out of the chains, and I say no . . ._

One of Ichigo's hands clenched into a fist tight enough to draw blood. The hollow saw this and tensed, but said nothing.

Suddenly, without a word of warning, Ichigo stalked over to his hollow. More specifically, Ichigo headed towards the chains that bound him.

**"What do you think you're-?"**

"Shut up," Ichigo growled. Surprisingly, the hollow obeyed, though he didn't seem unconcerned about what Ichigo was doing. If anything, the hollow was only getting more nervous.

The chains had solid locks, obviously designed not to be broken easily. However, Ichigo had two things that gave him a significant advantage over the metal circlets: a temper and a very large sword.

Thirty seconds later the hollow was rubbing his wrists and studiously ignoring Ichigo's gaze, which worked out well because Ichigo was also avoiding looking at the other boy in the room.

Meanwhile, Ichigo was lost in thought.

**_"Call me something else."_**

_Why does he want a name? He didn't seem to care about that before. On top of that, _should_ I give him a name?_

Unbidden, some of the back corners of Ichigo's mind immediately began spinning out possible name options.

The hollow still hadn't moved from his position against the wall, but now he had stopped rubbing his wrists and was watching Ichigo like a hawk.

Coming to a decision, Ichigo took a deep breath. Instantly, the other boy in the room prepared for an attack.

"Shiro," Ichigo muttered, just loudly enough for the hollow to hear.

**" . . . What?"**

"Shiro," Ichigo repeated, staring up at the ceiling and absolutely refusing to make eye contact with his hollow. "Your name."

The hollow was quiet for a few moments, rolling the name around in his head.

**"You went on the creative side, King," **Shiro eventually stated, the sarcasm so overt Ichigo forced himself to ignore it. **"Really stepped up your game with that one."**

"You're not arguing it," Ichigo pointed out, finally working up enough nerve to stare his hollow coolly in the eye. Shiro had a slightly confused expression on his face, but as Ichigo watched it was slowly replaced by a grin. While it was a shadow of its former self, the smile was still enough to remind Ichigo that his hollow wasn't the pinnacle of sanity.

**"Maybe you're not as stupid as I thought."**

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ichigo snapped, trying to ignore the way Shiro was smirking.

**"You're pretty dumb, King."**

"I was smart enough to beat you." The response had been instinctual and Ichigo mentally berated himself for bringing that up. On cue, Shiro's manner abruptly became much darker and his smirk turned into a scowl that rivaled Ichigo's – in fact, the similarity between the two was disturbing.

**"Don't talk about that," **Shiro eventually said, pulling himself to his feet. He staggered for a second but caught himself on the wall. Ichigo watched, one eyebrow slowly climbing up.

"Is something wrong with you?"

**"I'm fine! It's not like I'm as weak as you are!"**

"Then explain the staggering bit," Ichigo growled, staring at Shiro.

_There's something going on with him, and I want to know what it is._

**"There's nothing wrong with me, so stop asking! I'm not some dog that needs to be checked up on!"**

"Never said you were," Ichigo muttered under his breath.

Ichigo and Shiro's impending fight was interrupted as the door suddenly slid open. Instantly, Ichigo ducked, avoiding the tackle from his father with practiced ease.

"DO YOU EVER STOP?!" Ichigo yelled, roughly shoving his old man away with his foot. Isshin Kurosaki groaned, but he was grinning.

"Just continuing your training," he declared. Ichigo tried and failed miserably in subduing the disbelieving scoff that came out of his mouth.

"You just want to see if you can still beat me," Ichigo corrected. "Which you can't."

"You wanna bet?" Isshin yelled, jumping up and getting right in his son's face.

"I'm ready anytime, old man!" Ichigo yelled back, snarling. Just before the two came to blows, Unohana stepped gracefully into the room.

The room became so silent you could hear a pin drop. Somehow, Isshin and Ichigo had already separated and wiped the playful hostility from their features like it had never been there at all in the first place.

"The head captain wishes to speak with Kurosaki," Unohana said simply. She paused, looking at the freed hollow in the room that was regarding her with wariness. "_And_ his friend."

"Can't really refuse an order from the head captain," Isshin sighed, throwing an arm around Ichigo. "Well, son, what're you gonna do about it?"

"Throw you through the wall if you don't get your arm off me," Ichigo growled, ducking out from under his father's grip. "C'mon, Shiro. The last guy I want to make angry is the Old Man, no matter how stingy he is."

Shiro, after glancing at the other two people in the room and giving them his best grin, followed Ichigo out of the room.

Unohana and Isshin watched them leave.

"Strange, isn't it," Isshin said, frowning.

"What is?" Unohana queried, sensing that Isshin Kurosaki was being serious.

"My son managed to calm down and learn how to play nice with his hollow in just a few minutes."

"Let's not forget that he gave the hollow a name," Unohana added, a small smile on her face.

"Oh, yeah. What was it, again?"

"I believe it was Shiro."

* * *

A few corridors down, a boy with stark white skin sneezed. Ichigo glanced back at him and smirked.

"Didn't know hollows could sneeze."

**"Shut up."**

* * *

"There's something else," Isshin continued, absently tugging on his chin. "I'm sure you felt it too, Unohana."

The woman nodded.

"Your son's Reiatsu is extremely unbalanced," she said softly. "I'm amazed he can function the way he is. Though, I would guess that's because of his . . . inner hollow."

"We'll have to keep an eye on them to make sure nothing goes wrong," Isshin declared.

Outside of the fourth division headquarters, both Ichigo and Shiro sneezed.

"What the hell? I'm not sick!"

**"Quit whining."**

"You sneezed too!"

**"And?"**

Ichigo muttered something extremely offensive under his breath and decided to ignore Shiro's obvious taunts. At least for now, there was no real venom behind what Shiro was doing.

If Ichigo had to guess, he would say that Shiro was still getting used to his situation.

* * *

Ichigo couldn't help the apprehension that was currently wringing his insides into knots. He was sure that Shiro felt the same way, though the hollow was still maintaining that slightly disturbing smirk despite the crushing presence of two captains and the head captain himself.

Head Captain Yamamoto had at first ordered Shiro to be restrained by the Kidō corps, but Ichigo had somehow managed to convince him that those measures weren't necessary.

It was hard to miss how much the white-haired boy relaxed after seeing Ichigo come to his defense, though his eyes never stopped moving.

"And what makes you sure that this hollow is not a threat to the Soul Society?" Yamamoto questioned, his spiritual pressure – though restrained – bearing down on Ichigo in a way that made the boy convinced that the head captain was trying to force him to answer truthfully. Though, that's what Ichigo was planning on doing. Hiding anything at this point could get Shiro killed, and then Ichigo would have a real problem on his hands.

Ichigo glanced at Shiro, but the hollow wouldn't make eye contact.

_He's leaving me out to dry!_

"Um," Ichigo said, clearing his throat, "he's never really threatened the Soul Society before."

Yamamoto raised one eyebrow almost imperceptibly, but the message was clear. "I recall that Byakuya Kuchiki has a different opinion on the matter," the head captain rumbled. Both Ichigo and Shiro shifted uncomfortably.

"That was a different situation," Ichigo mumbled, face heating up. "And things were a little different back then."

"That is not enough reassurance for me to declare this hollow safe in any sense of the term, especially coming from a human boy with little experience."

Ichigo tried not to bristle at the insult and instead let out a deep breath.

"Look, I can see why you don't like Shiro, but-"

"You named him?"

"What?"

"You named the hollow?" Yamamoto repeated, not sounding happy with Ichigo over having to say the same thing twice. Ichigo quickly nodded; he was relieved that this was a much easier question to answer than the one he had been struggling through before.

"Yeah. Shiro makes sense, and it's a lot better than saying "him" or "the hollow" all the time. Plus, if there were ever a fight, it would be better for Shiro not to get confused with other hollows running around. It wouldn't end well if everyone was screaming, "hollow"."

Ichigo held his breath, wondering if he had said too much. Yamamoto let out a deep breath, diffusing the tension in the room. However, his next words made Ichigo's earlier butterflies wither and die in comparison to the new ones.

"What is stopping the hollow from attacking you, Kurosaki? I have heard reports of you losing control."

_I bet it was Byakuya again._

Ichigo glanced at Shiro, who was staring straight ahead with an angry expression on his face. It was clear that he really wanted to say something, and Ichigo knew he wouldn't be able to stop him from doing just that.

**"First things first," **Shiro growled, causing the present Shinigami to grip their weapons. **"I have a name. It's Shiro. Second of all, you're acting like I'm just some mindless _thing_. You won't even look at me! Yeah, I'm a hollow, but I'm still smarter than him –" **Shiro pointed to Ichigo whose expression was steadily getting darker – "**any day of the week!"**

"What makes you so sure of that?" Ichigo snapped.

**"Because you're an idiot, King!"**

"Smarter than you!"

**"And which one of us got us into this mess?"**

"I – um . . . me."

**"See?" **Shiro appealed to the crowd, somehow managing to pull of an act that, while still making him look absolutely insane, didn't make him seem quite as threatening. **"If anyone's to blame, it's him!"**

"Not fair!"

"Silence!"

The head captain's staff hit the floor hard enough to make Shiro and Ichigo wince. The whole room was quiet almost immediately.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," Yamamoto declared, his voice not loud but somehow carrying throughout the entire space, "in light of the services you have provided for the Soul Society, you and the hollow will not be punished." Ichigo let out a deep breath of relief, but Yamamoto wasn't done. "However, for the safety of the Soul Society, you and your hollow-"

**"Shiro."**

"-must merge in the presence of at least four captains."

_"What?"_

**_"What?"_**

Yamamoto's gaze was uncompromising.

"I will not take the word of any Shinigami that a hollow can be completely trustworthy. The entire Seireitei needs to be aware of the danger of Ichigo getting attacked by his hollow."

Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, and Shiro was right behind him, but a stern glare from the head captain was enough to shut both of them up.

"Dismissed."

* * *

**"It's like he doesn't trust me," **Shiro grumbled, leaning against the wall of Ichigo's room in the Fourth Division barracks. Ichigo snorted.

"I wonder why."

Before Shiro could respond, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in," Ichigo called, stuck in a glaring contest with Shiro.

Isane Kotetsu pulled open the door, raising an eyebrow at the two boys in front of her.

"Captain Unohana wishes to inform you that you need to head to the underground training fields," she said softly. When neither Ichigo nor Shiro moved, her voice gained a hard edge much like her Captain's. "Immediately."

Ichigo's attention snapped back to Isane with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry. We'll head over."

"I'll guide you there," Isane stated, walking out into the hallway. She glanced at Shiro. "Try not to draw too much attention."

**"I resent that."**

Both Ichigo and Shiro had grabbed their Zanpakutō and had them strapped on their backs. Ichigo, for his part, still wasn't entirely used to Shiro, and couldn't help the way his nerves screamed at him to fight the hollow the second he had his sword.

"There will be many Shinigami there," Isane said as they walked. "Head Captain Yamamoto does not want to take any chances."

"I'm not sensing much confidence," Ichigo drawled.

**"There's probably a reason for that."**

"Shut up!"

**"Make me!"**

Before either boy could draw his blade, Isane pushed them apart.

"There will be absolutely no fighting until we make it to the training grounds," she growled, glaring at an ashamed Ichigo.

Shiro looked like he was seriously considering pulling out his Zanpakutō and beheading Isane with it, but after a second he wiped his expression clean, taking his hand off of the hilt of his sword.

_This is going to be interesting._

Ichigo didn't think Shiro was going to pull anything; there was something off about the hollow, something that was making him act more subdued than normal.

Whatever it was, Ichigo was slightly thankful for it.

* * *

_And there you have Shiro. One of the most confusing, difficult-to-write psychopaths I've come across. As for what's wrong with him . . . you'll find out. Probably._

_Please review._

_-RoR_

_Coming up: Ichigo + Shiro + Kenpachi + Byakuya + Rukia + Renji = ?_


	7. Chapter 7

_If this chapter had had more Byakuya, I would've called it the Byakuyapocolypse. Anyway, I'm planning on releasing chapters on Wednesdays as well if I think the one on Saturday isn't long enough._

**_Disclaimer: Regrettably, I do not own Bleach._**

* * *

Chapter 7

Ichigo glanced at the boy clad in white next to him and then back at Rukia.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Of course," Rukia replied. "If anything goes wrong, we have captains to restrain you. And besides, it was Head Captain Yamamoto's orders."

"Not gonna lie, kid," Kenpachi Zaraki called, hefting his sword over his shoulder, "I'm looking forward to seeing what happens."

"Your confidence in me is overwhelming," Ichigo replied sarcastically, though he was clearly nervous. It didn't help that he had a nagging feeling that Kenpachi was going to fight him whether Ichigo lost control or not.

**"You really think you're that much stronger than I am?"** Shiro asked derisively, some of his previous habits coming back.

"I don't have a reason to think otherwise," Ichigo said determinately. "I won't lose control."

**"You say that like it's a back thing, Ichigo," **Shiro laughed, the familiar too-wide smirk appearing on his face.

"Any day now," Zaraki called, boredom dripping from every word.

Abruptly, Ichigo's grip on his sword changed as the two boys took a familiar stance at Zaraki's urging.

"Ban . . . kai!"

The two boys, mirror images of one another, were temporarily engulfed in spirit energy. When it cleared, they were both wielding a version of Tensa Zangetsu.

"Let's do this," Ichigo growled, tightening his grip on his sword. The hollow didn't reply, only grinning madly.

Ichigo lunged and the hollow mimicked the motion. For a moment, the two figures were suspended in the air, but then they were engulfed in Reiatsu emanating from their blades. Briefly, nothing happened.

Then everyone could hear Ichigo screaming.

"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled, grabbing her sword and running forward. Renji followed suit, unsheathing Zabimaru. However, both of them paused when they saw what was happening.

Ichigo was clearly visible in the center of swirling black and red spirit energy, clutching his face. For a moment, he seemed to pulse, and the assembled soul reapers could see – for a split second – the hollow mimicking the position nearly on top of Ichigo. They were obviously in pain; their bodies were tense even as the hollow's seemed to flicker in and out of view.

"Something's wrong! We need to stop, now!" Renji prepared to step in, but was held back by his captain. "Captain!"

"Interrupting now would only make things worse," Byakuya Kuchiki said calmly, though the sword in his hands belied his words. "We will watch, and wait. When an opportunity comes, we will subdue Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo's screams suddenly changed from human to the double tones of the hollow. For a moment, his hands shifted, and Rukia caught a glimpse of his eyes; the irises had turned yellow, and the sclera had switched to black.

"Ichigo?" Rukia whispered, taking a step back. She could _see _the terror in his eyes; it was almost suffocating. For a moment, Rukia could almost hear the battle going on in Ichigo's mind.

"His Reiatsu is fluctuating madly," Captain Ukitake stated, concern lacing his words. "It's not stable! It's worse than when they were not merged!"

Suddenly, everyone present was buffeted by a massive wind, that, when it subsided, left the whole area with a much darker feeling.

"This spiritual pressure," Tōshirō Hitsugaya muttered, adjusting his grip on Hyōrinmaru. "It is that of a hollow."

"We need to call it off!" Rukia snapped.

In the center of the ring of shinigami, Ichigo fell to his knees. As everyone watched, white material exploded out of his chest, eyes, and mouth, quickly moving to cover his body. Desperately, Ichigo tried to tear it off, but the material kept coming.

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried, but the boy couldn't hear her over his own screams. As he began to lose the fight against the encroaching white substance, his hair grew longer. A mask formed over his face despite Ichigo's best attempts to rip it to pieces, complete with two horns that stretched out and then forward. Red tufts appeared at his neck, wrists, and ankles, accompanied by black markings emanating from the center of his chest. Rukia could see how terrified Ichigo was of losing control, could see the fear fueling his movements, but he was rapidly losing the fight. Ichigo's skin had already been completely covered, and by this point he had stopped screaming.

With a final, sickening sound, a hole tore itself through Ichigo's chest, and all was silent.

"Kurosaki . . ."

Rukia stared at the hollow before her with wide eyes.

_This . . . this isn't Ichigo._

But her mind couldn't deny what her eyes were seeing. There was no doubt that the hollow that was slowly rising to its feet was, in some way, Ichigo Kurosaki, substitute soul reaper.

"Can't say I'm surprised."

Rukia's breath caught in her throat as a dark shape stepped past her.

"Kenpachi?"

"We figured something like this would happen," another voice said. Rukia turned and saw her older brother, Byakuya Kuchiki. "The Head Captain wanted to see just how much Kurosaki was able to resist if the hollow attacked him."

"This was . . . an experiment?" Renji managed. "Captain, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but that's insane!" Rukia had not been informed of Yamamoto's real reason for allowing the fight, but now that she had, she felt her heart pounding loudly in her chest.

All further conversation was cut off by a loud, haunting roar that came from the white figure in the middle of the room.

"Shut up!" Kenpachi yelled. "I'm trying to have a conversation here before I beat you to a pulp!"

"You go, Kenny!" Yachiru cheered from her captain's back.

"Eh? Yachiru, you should stay back here."

"Okay, Kenny!"

The girl with pink hair jumped down onto a shocked Renji's shoulder, and then alighted on the ground.

Meanwhile, Ichigo leaned forward. Between his horns, spirit energy began to rapidly accumulate.

"A Cero," Renji said, bracing himself. "He really has lost control."

"Ha!"

Kenpachi Zaraki flew at Ichigo, managing to send the hollowfied boy skidding back enough to disrupt the formation of the Cero.

The captain had a wicked gleam in his eye as he faced his opponent.

"I'll admit," he stated, shifting slightly, "when I pictured a rematch with you, Kurosaki, it wasn't like this."

The hollow roared in response and lunged, managing to catch Kenpachi on the shoulder with Tensa Zangetsu before the captain could completely get out of the way. Blood spurted from the wound, but Kenpachi acted as if the injury was nothing.

"That all you got?" He taunted.

"Zaraki!" Ukitake called. "Remember! Renji told us that breaking on of the horns should return Ichigo to his normal state!"

"It's not my fault if he gets banged up a little in the process!" Zaraki replied with a bit too much glee in his voice.

"That man is insane," Rukia muttered, exchanging a glance with Renji. However, both knew that Kenpachi Zaraki was the best match for Ichigo when Ichigo was completely hollowfied; Zaraki's durability and fighting prowess were unmatched in the Soul Society.

Rukia couldn't help but remember Ichigo asking, "_Are you sure this is a good idea?"_

"Apparently not," she whispered to herself. Renji gave his old friend a confused look, but didn't comment.

The hollow roared again and Rukia heard something else buried in the noise.

"It's Ichigo," she realized at the same time that Renji did. "He's in pain!"

"He's going to be in much more in a second," Captain Zaraki stated with glee, jumping forward. His spirit energy surged with the movement of his blade and it was clear that he was going to cut off one of Ichigo's horns.

However, Ichigo managed to stop the attack by catching the blade in one hand. Zaraki's uncovered eye widened, but he didn't have time to do anything else before Ichigo stabbed him through the stomach with Tensa Zangetsu.

The captain rolled away, coughing up blood. When he could speak again, his voice was hoarse, though he was still smiling.

"Not bad, kid!"

Ichigo responded by charging another Cero. Kenpachi, caught off-guard, was unable to attack before Ichigo released the attack.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

A brilliant wave of pink blades cut clean through one of Ichigo's horns right as the Cero was fired. Disrupted, the attack imploded with a massive cloud of dust, temporarily obscuring the fight.

"I had it under control, Kuchiki!" Zaraki yelled.

"I would rather not have half the Seireitei destroyed because you wanted to drag out the fight," Byakuya Kuchiki replied calmly, sheathing his Zanpakutō.

As the dust cleared, the observing shinigami could see that the hollowfied Ichigo was simply standing there, not moving. A horn lay on the ground next to him, and, as those standing nearby watched, slowly disintegrated into nothing.

"Is it over?" Rukia asked quietly, slowly taking her hand away from her sword.

"Can't say for sure," Renji replied, though he mimicked Rukia's action of putting away his Zanpakutō.

Cracking noises suddenly echoed throughout the massive space. The hollow mask that covered Ichigo slowly fell off, revealing the boy beneath. He collapsed to his knees as more of the white substance that had covered him flaked off; taking with it the hair it had formed as well.

Rukia held her breath as the hole in Ichigo's chest closed and the black marks disappeared.

"Aw," Zaraki muttered, putting his sword away. "I guess it's over for now. C'mon, Yachiru. We're leaving."

"Coming, Kenny! You were really cool!"

Captain and lieutenant quickly left, despite a few barely audible complaints from the shinigami and the fact that Kenpachi was actually wounded pretty badly.

Ichigo, whose skin had also turned white, was slowly regaining his color. His eyes were still closed.

"Ichigo!" Rukia ran over to him and supported the semiconscious boy as he collapsed completely. "Ichigo, say something!"

Renji knelt down next to Rukia, and then Captain Unohana appeared as well.

"His Reiatsu levels . . ." Rukia began, setting Ichigo down on the ground and taking a step back.

"They're still unstable," Unohana finished. "Whatever is happening inside of him is still going on. All we can do is wait."

As Unohana spoke, Ichigo's eyes flew open, startling Rukia and Renji.

They were still the eyes of a hollow.

Rukia, Renji, and Unohana quickly backed away as Ichigo climbed to his feet. A strange laugh came from his mouth, sounding almost deranged.

**"Looks like," **Ichigo began, still laughing as he spoke, **"the king and the horse have switched places."**

It was not Ichigo's normal voice.

Rukia's eyes widened. "No . . ."

The white substance that Ichigo had just gotten rid of began to accumulate again, this time slowly growing over the left half of Ichigo's face.

**"It's been a while,"** Ichigo – or whatever was controlling Ichigo – continued, **"since I've taken control this way."** He practically giggled, like a little kid at a party, and then suddenly yelled, **"Ichigo, you've gotten yourself into a mess! Our spiritual energy is all fucked up even more now!"**

"Who are you?" Renji demanded, pulling out Zabimaru. He hadn't yet made the connection between Shiro and the boy in front of him, and his adrenaline wasn't helping the thinking process any.

Ichigo glanced up, his normally scowling face pulled into a maniacal grin.

**"That's rude,"** he replied, casually gripping his own Zanpakutō. **"Usually, you would introduce yourself first!"**

At the last word, Ichigo – Shiro – began twirling his sword in a circle from the chain at the hilt. His eyes never strayed from Renji, and the sheer bloodlust that now radiated from Ichigo's body was enough to put Rukia on edge. However, before Shiro could really start anything, he suddenly froze, his smile disappearing and his eyes going wide. For a moment, those assembled could see him shaking, and a crack appeared in the mask that had now covered almost half of Ichigo's face.

**"Damn."**

Abruptly, Ichigo fell to his knees and put his hands to his face, almost like he was trying to pull off the mask even though the hollow hadn't seemed eager to do so.

**"NO!"** He was screaming while he struggled. **"YOU CAN'T DO THIS! IT'S NOT FAIR, YOU BASTARD! I JUST GOT HERE AND I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD ANY FUN YET!"**

Rukia and Renji watched, speechless, as Ichigo seemed to struggle against whoever was controlling him.

"It has to be the hollow," Unohana said calmly. "With Ichigo's unstable Reiatsu, it managed to seize control, at least temporarily. However, it seems that Ichigo is fighting back."

**"STOP! STOP IT! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG I'VE WAITED?! EVERY TIME I SAVE YOUR LIFE YOU DO THIS TO ME! WHY?! WHAT HAVE I EVER DONE BUT HELP YOU?!"**

"Is there anything we can do?" Rukia whispered, her face pale. Unohana shook her head.

"This is Ichigo's fight." She paused for a moment. "It seems that this experiment failed. We cannot make Ichigo whole again through conventional means, and should his hollow attack him, the results would be disastrous."

"These are conventional means?" Renji said, incredulous.

**"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

In one violent motion, Ichigo ripped off the mask that had been forming on his face and threw it to the side. At the same time that Ichigo pulled off the mask, another being exploded out from him in a blast of spiritual energy, falling onto the floor as the mask dissolved. The boy dressed in white that had appeared was unconscious without a doubt, and the inverted Zanpakutō he carried clattered onto the floor.

"Shiro . . ." Ichigo muttered, glancing at the boy behind him before his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed.

* * *

"Ichigo? Ichigo, can you hear me?"

Ichigo groaned, feeling a pounding headache beat away at his skull.

**"Finally, he's awake. Took him long enough."**

"You, shut up. You shouldn't even be talking."

**"Why not? It's not like I'm going to attack him again. Do you have _any_ idea how painful that was?"**

"You were enjoying yourself in the second part."

**"Only because I was finally in control." **Despite being exhausted, Ichigo swore that his inner hollow sounded almost wistful. **"I thought it would last . . . then the _king_ over here decided that he didn't like that."**

Ichigo felt the derision in the word "king", but it wasn't as bad as it had been.

**"Plus, it's different now. When I used to take over, it was much more natural – it was supposed to happen. It's not like that anymore."**

"It was never like that," Ichigo groaned, opening his eyes. He was immediately confused.

Ichigo was in a kind of prison cell, and he was lying down on hard but not completely uncomfortable cot. Across from him, Shiro was sitting on a similar cot, looking annoyed. Outside the bars stood Renji and Rukia, the former of the two having been speaking for the past few moments.

**"Are you kidding me?"** the hollow said, leaning forward. **"Why do you think it was so easy for me? You were absolutely pathetic!"**

"Shut up," Ichigo muttered, rubbing his eyes. He glanced at his two friends. "Why am I in a cell, and why is he here too? I thought we were . . . going to . . ." Memories were flooding back into Ichigo's memory, and his voice trailed away.

"Remember now?" Renji asked, crossing his arms. "You went insane."

"I . . . lost control?" Ichigo said, eyes wide. "But-"

**"You weren't strong enough."**

"What?"

Shiro had a bored look on his face, and for once he looked exactly like Ichigo would if his colors were reversed. Only then did Ichigo notice the other bars that separated the two sides of the cell, keeping Ichigo and his hollow separated.

**"Because the King was weak, the Horse was beaten as well." **The hollow made eye contact with Ichigo and a silent insult carried through his gaze. **"We were both consumed. That hollow everyone saw was a mindless creature. Because of your _weakness_, King, neither of us won."**

"You – you can't blame it on me!"

**"I can, and I WILL!"**

For a moment, some of the madness returned to the hollow's expression, but it faded rapidly.

**"And now, thanks to you, I'm weak as well."**

"Not really 'weak'," Renji muttered. The hollow's attention immediately snapped to him.

**"Not weak, you say? If I was at full strength I would crush your bones into dust and scatter them in the ashes of your friends!"**

Abruptly, the hollow stopped speaking, his eyes going wide, almost like he had said something he didn't want to say. Ichigo watched silently, a small seed of comprehension growing in his mind.

"I get it," he said, standing. The hollow glanced at him, frowning.

**"What are you talking about?"**

"The reason you haven't been your usual psychopathic self," Ichigo answered. "It's not just because you're weaker than usual."

The hollow snarled. **"What makes you say that? Maybe I'm just playing nice until I can take over you again."**

"You won't do that. You said yourself that it hurt too badly to be worth it, and that even you can't keep control when we transform."

_Ichigo . . ._ Rukia thought. _Has this . . . boy . . . really been with you this entire time? Even before the Soul Society? How long has your inner conflict been raging?_

"Plus," Ichigo continued, "the other reason . . . is that you're being influenced by me."

"Maybe we shouldn't be listening to this," Renji muttered to Rukia. "We can come back in a few minutes, and watch with the cameras to make sure that nothing goes wrong."

"But his Reiatsu – " Rukia started, concern lacing her words. Renji shook his head mutely.

Rukia sighed, and, while Ichigo and Shiro glared at each other, the two shinigami took their leave. Ichigo's attention, which had momentarily switched to Rukia and Renji, was dragged by to the cell by the hollow's angry tones.

**"What kind of crap is that? 'Influenced'? By _you_?"**

Ichigo nodded, a hard look in his eyes.

"I remember Hueco Mundo, and I know you do too. Especially the fight with Ulquiorra. For a second there, we _both_ wanted to protect Orihime." The hollow visibly winced. "See? Deny it as much as you want, you're not as invulnerable as you like to think."

**"Shut up,"** the hollow growled. **"Just . . . shut up!"**

"No! You always say that you're stronger than me, that I need you in order to stay alive!"

**"That's because you _do_! Without me you're nothing! You're pathetic! If it wasn't for your stupid luck I would consume you!"**

"If that's so," Ichigo replied, somehow keeping calm, "then why did you say that you wanted to protect me?"

The hollow was struck speechless.

"That's right," Ichigo added, scowling. "Did you forget about that? That's the whole reason I tried to save us!"

**"Which you shouldn't have done!"**

"Huh?"

The hollow was trembling, but from fear or rage Ichigo couldn't tell.

**"Because you refused to sacrifice me, you risked _everything_, including yourself! Do you not understand, _King_, that putting us first was the most selfish act of all? Can you not see that all you've done is split yourself in two? Are you blind?!"**

"I'm not blind!" Ichigo snapped, walking up to the bars and wrapping a hand around one to try and diffuse his frustration. "And I wasn't trying to be selfish!"

**"Some things happen without you trying!" ** The hollow yelled, now standing directly in front of Ichigo, on the opposite side of the bars. **"You don't need to be aware to fuck everything up!"**

"I didn't fuck everything up!"

**"You really think that? Then explain this situation! How is this not worse than what could have happened? All you've done is put yourself in more danger!"**

"No," Ichigo replied, his own anger rising, "that's not true."

**"YES IT IS!"**

"NO IT'S NOT!"

Ichigo's inner hollow bared his teeth in anger, gripping the bar next to the one that Ichigo was holding. Both pieces of metal were protesting loudly about the pressure they were under.

**"You're an IDIOT!"**

The hollow suddenly plunged his hand into Ichigo's chest.

"Urk," Ichigo managed, eyes wide. However, the hollow's hand hadn't gone through Ichigo's chest; it had reached into something deeper.

The hollow hissed through his teeth, and, as Ichigo watched, one of his eyes began to change. The black drained out of it, taking the yellow of the iris with it. Ichigo was left staring at the mirror image of one of his own eyes.

"What did you-?" He gasped, but then he found that he couldn't move anymore. His heart was beating loudly in his chest and his breathing stuttered. Faintly, he could hear yelling, could see shinigami pouring into the room, weapons drawn, but his vision was tunneling, and he was fading . . .

**"You're lucky I'm here, King. I just saved you again. Remember that."**

* * *

_Questions? Comments? Suggestions?_

_Also, I'm keeping a buffer between chapters. At this point, I've written 12 chapters. For the record, I think you guys are going to enjoy chapter 12. As a side note, if you see a bunch of letters (like ;AGIEH;OAIHG;AOIEWHG;AOEIH) in the chapter it's because I forgot to put in a page break when I was going through the __chapter. _

_-RoR_

_Coming up: Reaction Chapter_

_Please review._


	8. Chapter 8

_This is a shorter chapter, but that's why I uploaded on Wednesday as well. I hope you guys like it!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Bleach.**

* * *

Chapter 8

"Orihime . . . " Ichigo gasped, desperately trying to get air to his lungs. "I . . . can't . . . breathe!"

"Oops! Sorry, Ichigo!"

Orihime hurriedly pulled away from Ichigo. At some point while he had been reading, Orihime had begun squeezing him from the tension the story had created.

"Ichigo," Rukia said from where she was taking notes in a small notebook at Ichigo's desk, "why did you stop reading?"

"Because Orihime was choking me!" Ichigo snapped. He had to stop, however, since he ran out of breath and began coughing.

"I told you that I should be the one reading," Uryū stated, pushing up his glasses.

"Don't you even start-!" Ichigo gasped between coughs.

"I think you are missing the point," Rukia stated calmly, paging through the notes she had taken while Ichigo read. "The information in this story is disturbing, if not outright threatening."

Uryū frowned.

"I agree. However, I think we are overlooking something else."

Everyone's eyes switched to Ichigo. Immediately, the orange-haired boy went pale.

"Uh, why are you guys staring at me?" He asked, eyes darting from one person to another.

"Well, Ichigo," Orihime said quietly, "the story goes into a lot of detail about this 'Shiro' guy."

"And it hasn't exactly described him as a fantasy that's completely unrealistic," Uryū added.

"Not only that," Rukia continued, staring down at one page in particular, "the story specifically mentions my brother, and the fight you had with him." Her eyes rose, boring into Ichigo's. "It seems that it was significant in some way."

_Crap._

Ichigo could hear his inner hollow practically singing in his head.

**"Secrets, secrets are no fun, unless you share with everyone!"**

On top of that, Ichigo could feel his hands shaking. His inner hollow was pressing up against Ichigo's subconscious walls.

"It's a fan fiction," Ichigo muttered. "That part's probably made up, anyway."

Uryū stared at his friend.

Rukia raised an eyebrow.

Kon swore even more loudly from the closet.

Ichigo stared straight ahead, his jaw set.

Orihime looked at everyone in turn, confusion written all over her features.

"How about," she suggested slowly, "we treat this story like it's just a story?" Each person in the room glanced at her, confused, forcing Orihime to elaborate. "I mean," she said, her face going red now that people were really looking at her, "we don't _know_ if anything in this story is true! Plus, if something were wrong, Ichigo would tell us! Right, Ichigo?"

Ichigo quickly nodded, relief in his eyes at his friend's words.

"Plus," Orihime added, mischief returning to her face, "If we all interrogate each other now, we won't finish the story!"

"You're way too obsessed with this, Orihime," Uryū muttered. However, he had lost most of his hostility towards Ichigo.

Rukia, though she still radiated suspicion, sighed.

"Fine, Orihime. You're right. This is simply a story, as strange as it is. When we have finished it, we should pay a visit to the author's residence. That would give us many more answers than simply interrogating each other."

_Thank you, Rukia._

An awkward silence descended over the room as those inside tried to avoid looking at each other, lest the suspicion skyrocket again.

"Hey, Rukia?" Ichigo eventually asked, looking at the Shinigami.

"Yes? What is it?"

"How can you see when the power's still out enough to write notes and then read them?"

"Some of us have better sight than others," Rukia snapped. Uryū, not believing this, managed to sneak a look at the notebook Rukia was holding.

"I knew it!" The Quincy declared. "She is writing in glow-in-the-dark ink!"

"Where did you even get that?" Ichigo demanded. "More importantly, _how_ did you get that?"

Now Rukia's face was the one getting red as she hurriedly disguised her notebook and pen.

"W- what I'm writing with doesn't matter!"

"Oh yeah? What happened to 'some of us have better sight than others'? I think that's a lie!"

"Shut up, Ichigo!"

"If I wasn't holding my laptop right now-!"

"If I wasn't on a mission right now-!"

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP?"

Both Rukia and Ichigo went silent and stared at Uryū, who was adjusting his glasses.

"If you haven't noticed, Orihime has been patiently waiting for Ichigo to continue reading, which he can't do with you shouting at him, Rukia."

Ichigo glanced down at the girl next to him.

"Oh. Um, sorry Orihime."

"It's okay! I know you and Rukia like to argue, so I figured I shouldn't interrupt! It's lucky that Uryū doesn't have that kind of tact!"

"Hey!"

"She's right, Uryū," Ichigo said with a smirk. Suddenly, the group was interrupted by a new voice.

"Glow-in-the-dark ink, Rukia. That's a new low for you."

"Renji!" Rukia practically shrieked, falling out of her chair as the redheaded Shinigami grinned from the window.

"Hey, Renji," Ichigo said casually, trying not to show how freaked out he was.

_When the hell did he get here?_

"Ichigo," Renji said, "I can't believe you're throwing a party and you didn't invite me."

"That's not what's going on here, Pineapple Head!"

"Oh yeah, Strawberry?"

"You wanna go, Monkey Boy?"

"You bet, Human!"

Before Renji and Ichigo could fight, Rukia suddenly appeared between the two of them, planted her hands on their faces, and shoved them back hard enough to make the two fall over. Orihime managed to catch Ichigo's laptop, but Renji was unlucky and fell off the windowsill. Faintly, those assembled could hear him swearing from the ground below. Ichigo struggled to get back onto his bed and took his laptop back from Orihime.

"I hope Karin can't hear that," Ichigo muttered, glancing worriedly in the direction of his sister's bedroom. "Also, Renji had better put that plywood back. There's no way I'm doing it."

Two minutes later, a very annoyed and soaking wet Renji had made his way back to Ichigo's room, and, after much prodding from Rukia, had replaced the plywood he'd taken off Ichigo's window.

"Anyway, Renji," Ichigo said seriously once that was done, "why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be out patrolling for hollows?"

Renji and Rukia exchanged a look, and then Renji shrugged.

"Ikkaku is still out there. Besides, hollows go after those with high spiritual pressure. With Ikkaku keeping an eye on your friends and Rukia and I here, we've got the bases covered. Speaking of which, Rukia, why _are_ you here? I get that protecting Ichigo makes sense because of his spiritual pressure, but . . ." The Shinigami ended with a confused half-shrug of his shoulders.

The attention in the room shifted to Rukia, who looked to Ichigo. Ichigo, unwilling to explain it himself, looked to Uryū. The Quincy didn't want to speak either, and he looked to Orihime, the only person in the room who was willing to smile at Renji.

"Well," she started, her smile widening, "it's like this."

Orihime then launched into the single fastest, most detailed and most comprehensive explanation of what had happened within the past hour and a half that Ichigo had ever thought possible. She talked quickly, but judging from Renji's facial expression the Shinigami was able to keep up.

When Orihime had finished speaking, face red and out of breath, the room was silent except for the pounding of rain outside.

Then Renji began laughing.

"A fan fiction?" He wheezed, much to Ichigo's dismay. "About _Ichigo_? You have _got_ to be kidding me!"

"Don't forget that you're in there too!" Orihime pointed out brightly.

"Whatever," Renji replied, still laughing. "Obviously, this writer has never met Ichigo! He's made him way tougher than he actually is!"

"Why you-!" Ichigo started, but was stopped by a death glare from Rukia.

"We don't know if the author is a boy or a girl," Uryū pointed out calmly.

"Yeah!" Orihime put in. "He could be a girl!"

"Wouldn't you say 'she' then?" Ichigo muttered, earning another glare from Rukia. "Will you stop giving me that look?! At least I'm not the one whose writing with glow-in-the-dark-ink and pretending I'm not!"

"Are you really going to bring that up again?!"

"Definitely!"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Everyone froze; Ichigo and Rukia were inches away from one another, glaring; Uryū and Renji were both trying to look inconspicuous and failing miserably; Orihime was smiling like she wasn't even in the same room as the others. Kon, of course, was still stuck in the closet and didn't seem to be getting out any time soon.

"Uh . . . who is it?" Ichigo called, his eyes wide as he quickly backed away from Rukia. At some point, Orihime had taken Ichigo's computer again.

"Ichigo? It's Yuzu. Dad wants to know if there's something wrong because he heard shouting! Are you still afraid of the dark?"

Ichigo went crimson, and Renji barely contained a snicker.

"N – no, Yuzu, everything's fine! I'm, um . . ." Ichigo couldn't think of an excuse.

"Ichigo and I are playing Monopoly!" Orihime called innocently. "I'm beating him and he's not taking it too well!"

"Really?" Yuzu asked from the other side of the door. "Ichigo is usually good at games like that!"

"I have Uryū helping me!" Orihime replied, sweatdropping. Quietly, she added, "I'm good at Monopoly, too . . ."

"Tell Dad to stop being so nosy, okay, Yuzu?" Ichigo yelled. "And before he even asks, I've got plenty of batteries for my flashlights so there's no reason for him to send anyone up here!"

"Okay!" Was Yuzu's muffled reply. Faintly, Ichigo could hear her footsteps slowly retreating down the hallway. She was probably walking slowly to avoid tripping over anything in the dark.

Each person in the room let out a breath.

"That was close," Uryū muttered.

"A little too close," Renji agreed.

"Maybe we should keep our voices down a little more in the future," Orihime suggested brightly.

"Like that's going to make a difference," Renji muttered. "Ichigo's big mouth is going to give us away no matter – OOMPH!"

Renji tumbled to the floor while a very ticked Ichigo shook out his fist.

"My big mouth, huh?" Ichigo growled. "Looks like you're the one who needs to be paying more attention to what he's saying."

Renji scrambled to his feet and pressed his forehead up against Ichigo's.

"I'm the one who needs to be paying attention? Which one of us has a bow on his forehead?"

That's_ why Orihime was squeezing me earlier?_

Ichigo heard Uryū snicker and Orihime giggle.

Quickly, Ichigo ripped the bow off his forehead, and, instead of throwing it away, managed to stick it onto Renji's face.

"Hey!" Renji pulled it off, but in the process he pulled out hair from one of his eyebrows, sending the rest of the people and Shinigami in the room into hysterics. "What's so funny?"

Holding back more laughter, Rukia held up a small pocket mirror for Renji to look at. When he saw his reflection, Renji's eye twitched.

"Ichigo!"

"Don't blame me," Ichigo snickered. "You weren't paying attention."

"I'm going to get you for this, Kurosaki," Renji threatened. Rukia laughed.

"Relax, Renji. It'll grow back." Then, before Renji could say anything, Rukia whipped out her Denreishinki and snapped a picture of her friend.

"Rukia!" Renji protested.

"I didn't even know those things could take pictures," Orihime said, eyes wide. "I thought they were just for communicating with the Soul Society."

Rukia gave Orihime a smile. "They are used for that, but they can also function as regular cell phones. Therefore, the camera works perfectly well."

"Delete the picture, Rukia!"

"Not a chance, Renji. I'm sending it to Rikichi!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

With the smile still on her face, Rukia held up her Denreishinki and pressed the 'send' button with an audible click. Renji stared at her, his mouth slightly open in disbelief. After a few seconds, he groaned and collapsed against the wall, slowly sliding down into a sitting position.

"Well, that was worth it," Rukia chirped happily, pocketing the Denreishinki and turning back to Ichigo. "Are you going to continue reading, or are we going to wait here all night?"

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Ichigo could sense the inherent threat in Rukia's words. If he stopped reading, his eyebrows would likely suffer the same fate as Renji's.

Gulping, Ichigo nodded and looked back down at his screen. Orihime happily leaned into him again to read over his shoulder, and Rukia sat back down in the chair, pulling out her pen. She glanced at Uryū, daring him to comment, but the Quincy, wisely, did not.

After making sure that Rukia wasn't planning on shaving one of his eyebrows, Ichigo started to read the next chapter.

* * *

_I've already finished chapter 13, so my buffer is still going strong. _

_Just so you know, the reaction chapters will be shorter and they won't be as numerous as the other ones._

_Please leave a review._

_-RoR_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I (still) don't own Bleach**_

* * *

Chapter 9

Ichigo's world was black, but even so he felt like everything was upside-down and inside out. For some reason, he felt slightly nauseous, but as he opened his eyes the feeling faded.

"Ichigo!" Rukia was saying, kneeling over him. "Ichigo! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Ichigo muttered, pushing himself into a sitting position.

_I'm still in the cell . . . what happened?_

Remembering something, Ichigo's hand flew to his chest where Shiro had hit (stabbed, impaled?) him.

There was nothing there.

"What . . . happened?" Ichigo asked, looking up. His eyes shot wide open when he did so.

There was at least ten Shinigami standing in the opposite side of the cell, their Zanpakutō held up to a very annoyed Shiro's neck. Shiro, however, was staring straight at Ichigo.

**"I balanced your Reiatsu,"** Shiro replied, **"and these idiots thought I was trying to attack you."**

_I thought that too._

"Balanced out . . . my Reiatsu?"

**"Did you not notice your own spiritual pressure, _King_? It was going crazy!"**

Rukia and Renji exchanged guilty looks, like they should've done something sooner.

"W-wait," Ichigo stammered, staring at his inner hollow. There was something very wrong with his face. "What's with your eye?"

**"What's with yours?" **Shiro retorted, a scowl returning to his face that matched Ichigo's perfectly. More than a few of the Shinigami present were starting to get unnerved by the situation, despite having been informed about the circumstances prior to storming into the room.

"What-?"

Rukia, sensing Ichigo's confusion, looked at her friend's face. Immediately, she gasped.

"Ichigo! Your right eye!"

"I can't exactly see it!" Ichigo snapped.

"Here," Renji sighed, looking ashamed as he pulled a small pocket mirror out from his robe. Rukia and Ichigo both raised an eyebrow at the sight. "I'm borrowing it from Yumichika, okay?"

Ichigo snickered. "Suuuuure you are."

Ichigo's reaction was abruptly cut short when he saw his reflection in the mirror.

"What the hell?!"

Ichigo's right eye had switched from its normal amber-brown color to flat out yellow and black.

_Exactly like Shiro's! Except . . . Shiro's right eye looks like mine! What did he _do_ to me?_

Automatically, Ichigo reached up to examine his eye, blinking a few times.

"It doesn't . . . feel weird . . ." he muttered, slightly surprised.

**"You thought I was trying to hurt you?" **Shiro called from his slightly awkward position. **"Give me some credit! If I wanted to, I would've killed you the second you freed me from those chains!"**

"Comforting," Renji muttered as he pocketed the "borrowed" mirror. "Really boosts my confidence."

"How can I change it back?" Ichigo asked, still looking more than a little shaken. Shiro shrugged.

**"I have no idea."**

"What? But you're the one who did this in the first place! Don't you know how to undo it?"

Shiro snarled. **"First things first, King. One: I balanced out our Reiatsu. Otherwise, we were set to explode, so you should be slightly less hostile." **Ichigo frowned at that. **"Two: I'm a hollow. What we do is on _instinct_, idiot! I don't know what I did, I just did it, and you're lucky that I did!"**

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Renji muttered.

"You're saying there's no way to return Ichigo to normal?" Rukia demanded, glaring at Shiro. Seeing the hollow staring back at her with one of Ichigo's eyes was more than disconcerting.

**"I have no idea."**

"Seriously?"

**"Why would I lie? It's not like I want to look like that idiot anymore than I have to anyway."**

"Hey!" Ichigo spluttered, scrambling to his feet. "Not fair!"

"Don't you two look exactly alike, minus the color?" Renji asked in the background, though neither Ichigo nor Shiro seemed to be paying attention.

Shiro and Ichigo exchanged withering glances and then backed down, sensing that this wasn't the best time for a real argument. However, Shiro wasn't quite done yet.

**"Hey," **he called, looking at Rukia. **"Can you get these guys to stop holding their swords to my throat? It's a little bit . . . uncomfortable."**

After only a brief hesitation, Rukia nodded at the assembled Shinigami, and they backed off. However, most of the Shinigami kept their hands on their Zanpakutō. Shiro grinned, cracking his neck.

**"Thanks. I was starting to get sore."**

Rukia's eye twitched but otherwise she didn't react. The entire atmosphere in the room was tense, but Renji clearing his throat abruptly broke the tension.

"What?" Ichigo snapped irritably, his hair falling and actually obscuring his right eye from view. For some reason, that simple event put a fair number of Shinigami at ease.

"I just remembered," Renji said, smirking at Ichigo. "Captain Zaraki wanted to have a rematch with you once you recovered."

Ichigo's face went white while Shiro cackled.

**"I'll fight him!" ** He declared at the same time that Ichigo said "Not a chance!"

"Absolutely not!" Rukia yelled over both of them. "You are going to remain down here until further notice, until we get word from the Head Captain about what to do with you!"

Shiro looked hurt – either that, or he was very good at pretending.

**"That's no fun. Why do I have to stay down here? I haven't even done anything."**

"You're a hollow," Rukia replied simply. "As such, you are staying in the prison until Head Captain Yamamoto decides what to do with you."

"Whoa, hold on," Ichigo protested. "He's still part of me, right? You can't kill him."

"Mayuri did say that he wanted to run some tests," Renji muttered. Both Shiro and Ichigo blanched at that statement.

**"Hell no!" **Shiro yelled, incredulity on his face. **"There's no way I'm letting that freak anywhere near me!"**

"It's like the pot calling the kettle black," Renji commented, only to receive a half-hearted slap from Rukia.

There was a brief moment of silence. The Shinigami in the room – minus Renji and Rukia – all shifted awkwardly, like they weren't entirely sure what to do with themselves now that they weren't holding their swords to Shiro's neck.

"Why am I even in a prison cell in the first place?" Ichigo eventually asked. "I forgot to ask earlier."

Shiro snickered, evidently knowing the answer, but Ichigo ignored him.

"You don't remember?" Rukia queried, raising an eyebrow.

"That would be why I'm asking," Ichigo retorted.

"You kind of freaked out," Renji explained condescendingly. "And you were brought down here so that if it happened again you wouldn't destroy anything or hurt anyone before a captain could take you down. Last time it was Captain Kuchiki and Captain Zaraki; I don't know who it would've been this time."

**"I already said that I'm not planning on doing it again!" ** Shiro snapped, annoyed. No one reacted to his words.** "Are you even listening to me?!"**

Ichigo groaned. "There's no way I'm fighting Kenpachi again. That guy is insane."

**"Hey! Don't ignore me!"**

"I bet you'd lose," Renji said smugly. One of Ichigo's eyebrows twitched.

"Oh yeah? Like you'd do any better!"

"I'd do better than you!"

"You wanna bet, Pineapple?"

"You're on, Strawberry!"

"You two aren't seriously planning on fighting Kenpachi, are you?" Rukia asked quietly, looking far past done with the entire conversation. Ichigo and Renji exchanged looks.

"Well . . ."

"Maybe . . ."

Rukia suddenly had a much more mischievous grin on her face, one that made Ichigo very nervous. Quickly, she and Renji backed off and had an intense whispering discussion.

"They're making me nervous," Ichigo thought aloud.

**"Chi. Scaredy-cat."**

"You can shut up. And whatever they're doing, you're going to be included in it too, probably."

**"Doubt it. In case you haven't noticed, they don't exactly trust me."**

On cue, the Shinigami that surrounded Shiro adjusted their Zanpakutō with a rustling of metal on sheath.

"Point taken," Ichigo admitted, "but you're still me. Plus, I have a feeling that this-" he pointed to his right eye, still obscured by his orange hair- "isn't going to be any good if we get separated. Am I right?"

Shiro shrugged nonchalantly. **"Probably."**

Ichigo groaned. "You're no help at all."

**"I just saved your life again!"**

"What do you mean, _again_?"

**"Are you really this stupid?"**

"Are you really this annoying?"

Shiro gave Ichigo an annoyed look, like he was struggling to think up a proper insult. Then he let out a deep breath.

**"You're lucky we're in the Soul Society. Otherwise I would beat the crap out of you."**

"I'd like to see you try."

**"I'll take that as an invitation," **Shiro growled, reaching out a hand. Instantly, an inverted version of Zangetsu appeared in his hands, the bandage-like wrapping flying off. Ichigo's eyes narrowed and he copied the motion, summoning his own sword." (1)

Suddenly, Ichigo felt pressure on his side. Before he could react, he was being tackled to the ground, his sword being yanked from his grasp. Faintly, he was aware of Shiro cursing, likely undergoing the same treatment.

"Hey!" Ichigo yelled. "Get off me! I'm fine! There were bars in the way, anyway!"

Whoever was on top of Ichigo didn't listen and continued restraining the boy. Ichigo's face was pressed into the cold brick on the floor, and he was getting an up close and personal interview with the multitude of cracks that webbed across the material. It didn't help that someone was yanking on his hair.

"He said to get off!"

Whoever was on top of Ichigo was suddenly yanked off by Renji and knocked a few steps back. Groaning, Ichigo looked up to see a few nervous-looking Shinigami staring at him.

"Sorry, sir," they mumbled. "We've been instructed to restrain you if you get out of hand."

**"I SAID TO GET OFF ME!"**

From the opposite side of the cell, red-rimmed black spirit energy began pouring out of the dog pile that had formed on top of Shiro. Ichigo's eyes shot wide open, and, before he knew what he was doing, he'd sliced through the bars that separated the two halves of the prison. Throwing off the Shinigami was too easy and he didn't even pay attention to the ones trying to restrain him. His gaze was fixed on Shiro; the hollow suddenly seemed a lot more dangerous and mad than he had seconds earlier. Reiatsu practically flew off of him, and his right eye was beginning to turn black again. Ichigo could feel a strange sensation in his own right eye, and it _burned_.

That process was abruptly halted as Ichigo tackled his double into the ground.

"Knock it OFF!" Ichigo yelled, holding Shiro by the throat. Shiro snarled at Ichigo, his hands clawing at the ones around his neck. However, his movements were rapidly losing power, and the Reiatsu that had been pouring out of him was beginning to die out. After what felt like hours later, Shiro lost consciousness and Ichigo collapsed, rolling to one side to avoid landing on the hollow. His chest heaved up and down.

"Ichigo!" Rukia called. "Are you all right?"

Ichigo grinned at the Shinigami. "I'm fine. It's just . . . when he gets all agitated, I can feel it too. It's weird . . . and I knew I had to stop him, so I did."

"Yeah," Renji commented, glancing at the broken bars of the cell. "You definitely did."

"If I had to judge this," a new voice said, "I'd think that Ichigo is perfectly capable of holding his hollow in check. Would I be wrong?"

"Captain Ukitake!"

Instantly, the Shinigami drew away from Ichigo and Shiro and bowed to the captain, who was smiling warmly, despite his sickly appearance. He was still injured, but as with most of the captains he was in the final stages of recovery.

"Sir, I thought you were supposed to be in the infirmary for your cough," Renji said. Ukitake sighed.

"Yes, but that place is rather boring. Besides, I think it's a stroke of good luck that I happened to come down here." He glanced at the recovering Ichigo. "Things are certainly happening."

"Captain Ukitake, what are you doing down here?"

"Captain Suì-Fēng?" Ukitake asked, turning to where the voice was coming from. "What a pleasure to see you feeling better!"

The leader of the Stealth Force strode into the area, her usual harsh expression immediately shaming all of the present Shinigami who were not doing their jobs to the letter. Her left arm had been healed by Orihime, and the captain looked as whole as she ever had.

"Two captains?" Ichigo muttered from his position on the floor. "Great."

Shiro was still out cold.

"I came down because there was a flare of hollow Reiatsu," Suì-Fēng said, glancing down at the unconscious Shiro. "I see that it's been handled."

Ichigo just groaned, not really wanting to talk with the strict captain.

"Indeed," Ukitake agreed. "That is why I came down here as well. However, there was one other thing."

"What is it?" Suì-Fēng asked, crossing her arms. The movement was slightly awkward, as if she still wasn't used to having her arm back.

"Head Captain Yamamoto has declared that Ichigo Kurosaki and his hollow are permitted in the Soul Society as long as they have an escort."

Rukia, Renji, and Ichigo practically choked.

"_What_?" Ichigo gasped from the ground as he pushed himself into a sitting position. "When did the old man become so favorable?"

"Well," Ukitake replied easily, "it seems that you defeating Aizen and saving the Soul Society has made you something of a hero. There would be riots among some of the younger female Shinigami if you were kept down here."

Ichigo's face went beet red with embarrassment while Renji's went red with something slightly less than jealousy. Rukia just sighed.

"Are you certain?" Suì-Fēng asked, her eyes narrowing. "Where are the release papers?"

_I need release papers?_

"Of course," Captain Ukitake replied magnanimously, reaching into the folds of his Shihakushō and pulling out a stack of papers. Suì-Fēng took the papers with some reservation; it seemed that no captain really enjoyed paperwork. After leafing through the pages for a few moments, she nodded.

"Captain Ukitake is right. Ichigo, you and your hollow are free to go, provided that someone else go with you."

"We can do that," Rukia and Renji offered in unison.

* * *

**"I don't like it here."**

"We know," Ichigo responded irritably. "You've said that six times already."

**"Well, I do like it here," **Shiro amended, **"'Cause of all the energy, but everyone keeps giving me dirty looks."**

"Maybe because you're literally white," Ichigo ground out between clenched teeth. Before leaving the prison cell, Rukia and Renji had insisted that both Ichigo and Shiro shift their hair so that the "hollow eye" they shared was covered. Though both boys grumbled, they went through with it. However, despite the precaution, neither of them was going unnoticed.

"Ichigo, you also have to remember that you're a war hero," Rukia lectured. "People aren't going to ignore you; I doubt that they are even noticing Shiro much. They are focusing on you."

Ichigo didn't look too thrilled about that, and his expression only worsened when Renji snickered.

"Shut up," Ichigo muttered.

**"You should be happy," **Shiro laughed, his smirk coming back. **"You're famous!"**

Ichigo scowled. "I know. Why would that make me happy? It's even worse than when I was being hunted here."

"Those were good times," Renji sighed. "Back when I learned Bankai, and you got your ass kicked, Ichigo."

"I did not get my ass kicked! You did!"

"There must be something wrong with your memory because I _clearly_ remember you getting defeat handed to you on a silver platter!"

"I think you're remembering one of your own fights!"

Renji and Ichigo were suddenly on the ground. Rukia stood between them, her expression irked and quietly furious.

"Can you two go _two seconds_ without arguing?!" She demanded. "And Renji, we're supposed to be watching Ichigo, not provoking him!"

"I'm not a loose cannon," Ichigo snapped. "There's no need to worry about that."

Shiro was watching the whole confrontation with one eyebrow raised, like he couldn't figure out what was going on.

"Oh, it's not you we're worried about," Renji replied. Immediately, everyone turned to Shiro, who abruptly scowled in a way eerily similar to Ichigo.

**"Relax. Right now, the thought of merging with Ichigo over there makes me nauseous."**

"So whatever the Hōgyoku did to you," Rukia mused, "it also affected your mind. No doubt that's why you've been acting more calm than Ichigo seems to think you should be."

**"Chi. Sure. Go with that."**

"So . . ." Ichigo mused, "What are we supposed to do? I can't go back yet; Unohana told me that my imbalanced Reiatsu would destroy my body, and I don't really have a place to stay here. Plus, you guys probably have things to do in your squads."

"That's true," Renji admitted, "but we've been given a little time off, for the most part."

"Ichigo, I'm sure you can find a home with the Shiba Family," Rukia said with a small, knowing smile. Instantly, Ichigo went white, his thoughts automatically going to Kūkaku punching him.

"You don't really have a choice in the matter," Renji stated. "Head Captain Yamamoto has ordered that you stay with her unless you find somewhere else that he finds equally suitable."

"For some reason," Ichigo muttered under his breath, "I feel like the old man just wants me out of the Seireitei."

**"He probably does," **Shiro said, having overheard Ichigo's words. **"Also, you didn't have to choke me earlier. I was doing just fine on my own."**

"You were sending black Reiatsu everywhere," Ichigo replied coldly. "And I did it on _instinct_."

Shiro, realizing that he was being mocked, spat something extremely insulting at Ichigo, who pretended not to have heard just so he wouldn't get into a fight with his inner hollow after only a few minutes of getting out of the prison cell.

Ichigo suddenly glanced back at Renji and Rukia, who were busy whispering again.

_I've got a bad feeling about this._

Seeing Ichigo staring at them, the two Shinigami separated, doing a miserable job at not looking suspicious.

**"They're going to drag me into it, too," **Shiro grumbled, his ever-present smirk faltering for just a second. **"I can tell."**

"But what is 'it'?"

"It's a secret," Renji answered, grinning. "Anyway, I forgot to mention this earlier, but Kūkaku wants to have a 'We Won the War and Didn't All Get Our Asses Kicked' feast at the Shiba household. We're all invited."

"I think it's slightly more mandatory than an invitation would make it seem," Ichigo groaned.

"We're going," Rukia snapped. "Now come on, all of you! If we don't hurry we're going to be late!"

Ichigo, Shiro, and Renji all exchanged apprehensive looks.

"Hold on a second," Ichigo snapped. "Renji, why are you so nervous? You were smug all of two seconds ago!"

"I just remembered something else," Renji replied, the blood draining from his face. "I was supposed to tell Kūkaku we were coming the moment you woke up from your battle with Aizen!"

Ichigo winced in fake sympathy, and then clapped his friend on the back.

"Good luck! I won't be able to help you, because I'm _injured_, but I'm sure you'll handle it well!"

"Traitor," Renji muttered.

Shiro remained silent, an unreadable expression on his face instead of the usual grin. However, the look was gone the moment Ichigo glanced back at him.

"Hurry up!" Renji called anxiously, pulling ahead of the group. Rukia rapidly gained distance, until the casual stroll somehow morphed into an all-out race for the Shiba house.

* * *

_(1) For the sake of this __story __I'm assuming that Ichigo is capable of summoning his sword (provided that he has enough spirit energy and his sword isn't being held by anyone, and once his sword has been summoned he won't be able to make it go back where it came from)_

_The real fun starts in the next few chapters, since that's when Ichigo finds himself having to go to the academy. Exactly how that happens, I won't say._

_If you have any questions, PM me or put them in a review and I'll respond in my author's notes at the end of each chapter._

_Until Saturday,_

_-RoR_


	10. Chapter 10

_I blame Shiro. -Ichigo (probably)_

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach_**

* * *

Chapter 10

"That . . . was a really good meal," Renji declared, spread out on the floor. The Shinigami had gotten off with a punch to the shoulder for not warning Kūkaku, which seemed pretty lucky.

Ichigo made a noise of assent from his position that mirrored Renji's. Shiro was leaning up against one wall; he hadn't eaten much, claiming that he didn't need as much food as his "weak counterpart". Rukia was quietly discussing matters with Kūkaku, and Ganju had already fallen asleep on the floor after making sure that everyone enjoyed the meal, since he'd cooked more than half of it.

"Hey, Renji," Ichigo muttered, shifting to look at the Shinigami.

"Yeah?"

"I don't really want to fight Kenpachi again. You win that bet."

"I didn't want to fight him either, and it wasn't really a bet in the first place. We need to come up with a better one."

"But what would a more interesting bet be?"

Both boys were silent, thinking.

**"You could dye Renji's hair yellow," **Shiro suggested with a snicker.

"No!" Renji protested, his face going red. "And that's not even a bet!"

"That would work," Ichigo mused, his eyes narrowing as he thought. "But we haven't even come up with the bet itself yet." He glanced at Renji. "Dying his hair is more of a punishment than actual challenge."

Suddenly, Ichigo became aware of Rukia and Renji exchanging a glance. The bad feeling Ichigo had gotten earlier suddenly resurfaced, and he began to think that whatever his two friends had been whispering about was going to come into the open soon enough. Even Kūkaku seemed to be in on it; she had a grin on her face that made Ichigo think he was about to get pummeled.

"Oh, I've got a bet," Renji laughed. "And I know I'm going to win."

"What's the point of making a bet if I don't even have a punishment afterwards?" Ichigo retorted, his bad feeling growing. Even Shiro was starting to look suspicious.

"I've got something!" Kūkaku declared, slamming a hand down on the table, actually managing to wake up Ganju. "If you lose the bet, Ichigo, you have to eat a full meal with Kenpachi Zaraki and Yachiru!"

Ichigo froze. Shiro, on the other hand, was smiling.

**"That sounds like fun. We accept."**

"We don't even know what the bet is!" Ichigo spluttered, his sleepiness getting wiped away. He didn't like the evil glint to Renji's eye. Ichigo wasn't stupid; he knew Renji was just itching to take advantage of the situation and make Ichigo look like an idiot.

"Too late," Rukia stated as both she and Kūkaku stood up. "The terms of the bet are . . ."

Renji, Rukia, and Kūkaku said them all in unison, cementing the idea in Ichigo's mind that this had been planned from the start.

"One: You, Ichigo Kurosaki, are going to attend the Shin'ō Academy!"

Ichigo's face lost all of its color, and Shiro smirked.

"Two: Shiro has to attend with you, and you will be rooming together with a third party!"

Shiro's smirk vanished.

"Three: You have to attend the Shinigami Academy for one full year with a schedule that we design!"

"A whole year?!" Ichigo managed, his mouth hanging open. "Are you insane?"

"It'll give us time to figure out your situation with Shiro," Renji stated, grinning, "and it wouldn't make sense for you to just drop out halfway through. You gotta finish what you start."

"I don't want to start it! I'm already really powerful," Ichigo said. The way he said it made it clear that he wasn't bragging; he was just stating face. "Why would I ever need to go to the Shinigami Academy in the first place?"

"Because it's a bet that you've already accepted," Rukia replied. "Also, it'll give you a place to stay, _and_ you might actually learn something. Renji and I had to go through it, so surely you can too."

**"Why do I have to do it?"**

"You two aren't supposed to be separated anyway, or so I've heard," Kūkaku said, "so it makes sense that both of you should do it. Plus, it makes the bet more interesting."

Now Ichigo and Shiro were stuck. Originally, Shiro had accepted because he knew Ichigo would probably lose whatever the bet was, and Shiro really wanted to fight Kenpachi; but now, he had really gotten dragged into the bet, and his pride wouldn't let him lose intentionally.

"Don't worry," Renji snickered, "we know you won't make it through the whole year."

"We'll see about that," Ichigo growled, since the prospect of a new challenge was making his nervousness vanish. That, and Ichigo was all for proving Renji wrong.

**"You're going to eat those words," **Shiro echoed, his motivations much the same, though he was more pride than anything else.

"I'm not entirely sure what's going on," a sleepy Ganju put in, raising an eyebrow, "but from what I've heard you guys haven't said what happens if Ichigo and his hollow _win_."

For a moment, the whole room was silent.

"Do you think I'm wrong in betting that Kurosaki will lose?" Kūkaku asked icily. Ganju instantly backed off.

"N-no! That's not it at all!"

While Kūkaku glared at Ganju, Rukia cleared her throat.

"I have to say that I liked Ichigo's suggestion earlier. If he somehow manages to win the bet, Renji will dye his hair yellow for a whole month."

This time, it was Renji's term to choke.

"Rukia-!"

Ichigo and Shiro exchanged a look.

_How hard can it be to go to school in the Soul Society?_

* * *

There was a bit of a wait before the Shinigami Academy began entrance exams. Rukia and Renji had already gone and discussed the situation with most of the captains, and garnered support from the Shinigami Women's Association on the condition that Ichigo's picture be featured in the upcoming calendar. In the end, Yamamoto had agreed, on the condition that Ichigo's meal with Kenpachi be broadcast in a captain's meeting and recorded.

"I had no idea the old man could be so diabolical," Ichigo muttered, staring up at the imposing structure of the Shin'ō Academy.

The teachers had also been told about Ichigo's attendance, as well as Shiro's, in order to allow them to prepare properly. However, they had been warned not to give Ichigo special treatment. Considering that a fair number of the teachers had retired, quit, or become unable to teach within recent years due to all of the conflict in the Soul Society, most of Rukia's and Renji's teachers were no longer at the Shin'ō Academy.

And, much to Ichigo's relief, many of the new staff had never even heard the name Ichigo Kurosaki.

_Getting no special treatment won't be a bad thing for me._

**"He's out to get us for sure," **Shiro agreed, standing next to Ichigo. Both were wearing nondescript clothing, and their hair covered their respective "hollow" eyes. Briefly, the Shinigami Women's Association had tried to convince Shiro to dye his hair some other color, which had ended in a brawl that nearly put Shiro and Ichigo back in prison.

"What do we even do during the entrance exams?" Ichigo wondered aloud as he and Shiro began walking through the entrance. Other people were also entering, looking about as varied as physically possible. Ichigo swore he saw someone with pink hair.

"Whoops!"

Ichigo felt someone fall into him, and he looked down to see a girl who looked about his age – though was probably more than five times as old as Ichigo – planted face-first in his stomach. She'd obviously tripped.

"Ow," the girl groaned, quickly recovering her balance. "You've got really . . . hard . . . abs . . ." Her voice trailed away as she looked up at Ichigo's face. Ichigo was half concerned that her eyes would pop out of her head, though he was more concerned with her hair; it was a bright blue, matching her eyes. Her face, on the other hand, was crimson.

"Thanks," Ichigo replied automatically. "You should be more careful where you're walking."

"Y-yeah! Sorry for running into you!"

Just like that, she was gone.

**"You should've hit her," **Shiro muttered. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"We haven't even started yet. Knowing Renji, getting kicked out of this place probably counts as losing."

Shiro let out an annoyed breath but didn't say anything else. There was nothing anyone could do about his voice, so Ichigo had just agreed to not care, and if anyone asked it wasn't his problem.

Once inside the Academy, Ichigo and Shiro could see that the main hall was just a waiting area. Every few moments, a person's name was called out from one of four areas. That person was led through a door, where, presumably, they were tested.

Ichigo and Shiro sat in a corner, waiting their turn. They knew they were getting tested at the same time; there was no way they were going to be separated, especially not in so crowded a place with so few powerful Shinigami on site.

**"It's too loud."**

"You're telling me."

It was over an hour before a man called for Ichigo and Shiro to get tested.

"ICHIGO KUROSAKI AND SHIRO KUROSAKI, ROOM THREE!"

"That's us," Ichigo grunted, getting to his feet.

**"Can't believe I have to pretend to be your brother," **Shiro grumbled.

"Yeah. You're a lot closer than that." Ichigo had a strangely focused expression on his face; Shiro recognized it from before Ichigo went into fights. He was actually getting serious.

With a barely audible sigh, Shiro followed suit as the duo entered testing room three.

_I know Renji and Rukia already picked out my schedule. Rukia said it wasn't ridiculous, but that makes this whole entrance exam thing kind of pointless. But whatever. I shouldn't go all-out anyway; if I have to stay here for a year I might as well _try_ to blend in._

The room was large, and Ichigo saw a rack of practice blades against one wall. In front of him was a table with five Shinigami seated at it; Ichigo could only assume that they were teachers. He didn't pay much attention to appearances; if he ended up if any of their classes, _then_ Ichigo would pay more attention.

"Kurosaki Ichigo and Kurosaki Shiro," the man on the far left intoned, "you have requested to join the Shin'ō Academy, but first you must demonstrate skills in five areas. First, you must demonstrate knowledge of the Soul Society."

There was an expectant pause and Ichigo and Shiro realized that they were supposed to answer. From the monotony to the man's tone, Ichigo could tell that this bit was rehearsed. No doubt the teachers had already done this test over fifty times.

"Oh," Ichigo said, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, the Soul Society is where spirits go in the afterlife, until they can be reincarnated back into the Human World. The Soul Society is separated into two parts; the Seireitei, where the Shinigami and the noble families live, and the Rukongai, where the rest live. The Rukongai is separated into four main sections, with eighty districts in each."

Shiro just nodded, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall near the door. He was obviously uncomfortable but doing his best to hide it.

The man on the far left made a huffing noise, like he hadn't expected Ichigo to know that much, and then indicated that the next man at the table should speak.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, you must demonstrate your knowledge of Hakuda."

The man snapped his fingers and a side door opened, allowing a uniformed student to hurry in. If Ichigo had to guess, he would say that he was a fifth-year student.

"Please spar," the man ordered. "The match is over when one party yields."

_They don't seem to care that much about Shiro. I'm guessing that they've been informed that he's pretty much a mirror of me when it comes to knowledge and skill, though his fighting style is a lot different. Or maybe they just don't want him fighting._

Shrugging, Ichigo dropped into a fighting stance and faced off against his opponent. Years of street brawls and martial arts "lessons" from his father worked into Ichigo's favor, and he knocked the student down in a minute flat, though he did receive a particularly nasty hit to his abdomen before the boy yielded.

"Thank you," the man said. The student bowed and left just as quickly as he had come. Ichigo had to hide a smirk at the obvious surprise of the teachers, and he reminded himself that he wasn't supposed to be showing off, even though he wanted to just leave.

"Next," the third man at the table declared, "you will demonstrate your ability with Hohō. Please grab all of the blue flags in order of number."

Ichigo's eyes scanned the room, and he saw six flags stationed along the walls, two to each surface. The teacher was holding a stopwatch-like device, no doubt with the intention of timing Ichigo.

_I can't show off. I won't show off._

Taking a deep breath at the nod from the teacher, Ichigo flash-stepped around the room, grabbing each flag numbered one through six as he went. After six seconds – one for each flag – Ichigo dropped the blue pieces of fabric on the table in front of the teacher and stepped back.

He wasn't even breathing hard.

The Hohō teacher, for his part, was staring at the boy with suspicion. Unlike the last fight, this Kurosaki Ichigo character was most definitely holding himself back. The teacher made a vow to see how fast the boy could really go before the end of the year.

"My turn? Okay." This time, the teacher was a woman, and Ichigo's eyes widened fractionally when he saw that _she_ was the person with pink hair that, even in a tight braid down her back, went to her waist. "Kurosaki, please use Bakudō number one, Sai, on this dummy."

The woman pulled a humanoid dummy out from behind her that Ichigo swore hadn't been there before and placed it in front of the table. Another student, presumably a teacher's aid, quickly shifted the dummy so that it was to the side of the table. From the burn marks on the dummy's surface, Ichigo guessed that more than a few students had misfired.

The dummy had "arms" that flopped weakly at its sides. Faintly, Ichigo remembered that Rukia had used this Bakudō on him during their first encounter, and a small smile pulled at his lips.

_It's lucky that my time in the Dangai also enhanced my talent with Kidō, though I still suck with most of the spells._

Taking a deep breath, Ichigo held out one arm, braced himself, and drew on his Reiryoku, channeling a small bit of it to his arm. Too much, Ichigo knew, and the spell would backfire. Too little, and it wouldn't work at all.

"Bakudō number one, Sai!"

Instantly, the arms on the dummy flew up and behind, locking in place behind the dummy's back. Since Ichigo had put slightly too much force into the spell, those listening could hear the metal joints of the dummy groaning with strain. Had it been a person, their arms might've been ripped off.

The Kidō instructor gaped, thinking, _how can someone have _this much _Reiryoku? I felt it surge for just an instant and it felt like someone was pressing down on my shoulders! And even now it feels like he was holding back, suppressing his remaining energy! And even without the incantation, his spell had enough force to nearly break that dummy without exploding!_

Shiro smirked as Ichigo turned back around, shaking out his hand. Somehow, Ichigo had managed to make his arm smoke slightly, which was a little bit concerning.

**"You're lucky that you figured out how to suppress your spiritual pressure," **Shiro muttered as Ichigo passed by him. **"Otherwise those idiots would be on their hands and knees in front of you."**

"It's not like I'm at full strength right now," Ichigo replied flatly. "I'm just stable. There's a difference."

**"You've still got more Reiryoku than any two captains combined."**

None of the teachers were listening in on the conversation, but even so Ichigo shot Shiro a warning look, telling him to keep it down.

"I guess I'm last," the final teacher said. Ichigo blinked, and the teacher was in front of him, staring down. The guy was definitely taller than Ichigo by at least a foot, despite the fact that Ichigo was already tall on his own. "Since we're in testing, name's don't really matter, but I'll most likely be one of your teachers."

Ichigo nodded mutely, not sure what to make of the man before him. He had a high spiritual pressure, but not as high as the Kidō instructor's.

"Kurosaki," the man continued, "pick a practice sword."

_Oh, duh. I forgot about Zanjutsu._

Ichigo walked over to the rack of sparring blades he had noticed earlier. Eyes narrowed, he scanned the rack until he found a blade that matched Zangetsu while the blade was in Bankai state.

"This'll work," Ichigo muttered, even though the weapon was crude and its balance was off. Because it was a training sword, it would be more difficult to handle than Ichigo's actual Zanpakutō, which Ichigo technically should not have manifested yet if he was at the level of the average academy student.

_It's going to be really weird; all of these people probably think I'm just another kid from the Rukongai who came here to be a Shinigami. I guess there's no real harm in letting them think that; I'll just say I'm really gifted or some crap like that. I'll figure out a way to make sure that Shiro keeps his mouth shut._

Ichigo turned around and saw that another student had come into the room, also bearing a practice sword. With a sigh, Ichigo stepped forward.

_I can't give this one hundred percent . . . I should at least let this guy keep some of him pride._

"Begin," the teacher ordered, watching intently.

Ichigo parried the first attack made by the student, and stepped to the side of the second. The student quickly recovered his balance and slashed at Ichigo's left side, the one left exposed. Eyes narrowing, Ichigo dodged to the right and counterattacked, giving the Shinigami enough time to deflect the blow that had been headed for his heart.

_He clearly broadcasts what he's going to do._

The Shinigami's hands tightened around the grip of the practice sword before he lunged, aiming to take Ichigo off-guard with the move. Suppressing a sigh, Ichigo hit the Shinigami's sword down in midair with his bare hand, throwing the student off-balance and causing him to crash to the floor. When he recovered, the student twisted on to his back, only to see Ichigo's practice sword leveled at his throat.

The entire time, Ichigo had maintained an uncaring expression on his face.

The Zanjutsu teacher grinned, already making plans on what to do with this new student. Sure, he'd been at the meeting where Captain Ukitake had informed the teachers about the situation with the incoming student, but he'd zoned out. Most of the other teachers had as well; it just didn't seem that interesting at the time. Now, however, the teacher was thinking about going back to Captain Ukitake and asking him a few questions. Unfortunately, the teacher remembered that Captain Ukitake had been very adamant about not giving away Ichigo's abilities, just warning the teachers about Shiro and certain other things.

As the nameless student left, Ichigo returned the practice sword to its place on the wall and moved to stand in front of the table. The teachers spent a few minutes talking amongst themselves – agreeing to meet and discuss this Kurosaki kid at a later date – and then turned back to Ichigo.

"You're to be housed in the boy's dorm, room six," the pink-haired woman announced. You have one week until classes start; you will get your schedule in three days."

The woman's gaze went to Shiro, who stiffened under the scrutiny.

"You are in the same room, and you are to attend all of Kurosaki Ichigo's classes with him. However, you are not permitted to take part in any active fighting in the classes."

**"Chi. I should've figured that." **

Shiro didn't sound particularly upset; he and Ichigo had both known from Rukia's information that Shiro wasn't going to be participating in the bet the same way as Ichigo. It had been one of Yamamoto's stipulations, and the Shin'ō Academy had readily agreed.

"Thank you," Ichigo said, somehow managing to sound completely disinterested. In fact, he had been steadily losing interest in the test since the beginning, and now he simply wanted to sleep, since Shiro had been keeping him up at night as of late. "Let's go, Shiro."

**"You don't need to order me around."**

The teachers watched the pair leave, absolutely mystified by the new student. Each of them was planning in their own right, determined to see the full potential of Kurosaki Ichigo.

Ichigo and Shiro took their time getting to the dorm, having found a good topic to argue about in the meantime.

"Well, I'm not the one who's doing all of your work!" Ichigo snapped. "You're the one who accepted the bet! Ergo, you do the work that comes with it!"

**"That's not how it works, idiot! In fact, you should do my work for extra practice!"**

"So you're admitting that you're stupid!"

**"Smarter than you!"**

"Say that to my face!"

**"I just did!"**

"Um . . . excuse me," a small voice said from behind the two. They were near the entrance of the boys' dorms, and Ichigo quickly turned, trying to get the annoyance out of his expression. Shiro continued scowling, crossing his arms and radiating intimidation.

"Yeah?" Ichigo asked, looking down. There was a girl there, and Ichigo frowned when he realized that she looked familiar. "Do I know you?"

Blood rushed to the girl's face. She only went up to Ichigo's chest, but Ichigo could see that she was muscular.

_Probably grew up in the Rukongai._

"Y-yeah! We, uh, I ran into you earlier!"

"Ran . . . into?" Ichigo repeated, eyebrows drawing together. Abruptly, he remembered when he had been walking into the main hall of the Shin'ō Academy. A girl with bright blue hair and matching eyes had tripped and hit him. "Yeah, I remember you now. You tripped and hit me in the stomach."

_That's definitely the same hair._

"Anyway," the girl stammered, "my name is Isuke Kira!" She stuck out her hand. "It's nice to meet you!"

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Ichigo replied, shaking her hand with mild confusion.

"I just wanted to apologize for earlier," Kira explained, her eyes darting between Ichigo and Shiro.

"His name's Shiro," Ichigo said in response to Kira's unspoken question. "We're brothers."

Kira's eyes lit up in understanding. "Oh, okay! I have a brother too! His name's Riku, and he's awesome!"

"Is he attending the Shin'ō Academy?" Ichigo asked distractedly, shooting daggers at Shiro, who looked like he was about to try and trip passing students. Kira nodded, her smile widening.

"Yeah! He's rooming in room six!"

Kira didn't miss the way both Ichigo and Shiro stiffened slightly.

**"What're the odds . . .?" **Shiro muttered. Kira's eyes widened at his voice, but seeing that Ichigo wasn't reacting, she decided not to comment.

"That's where Shiro and I are as well," Ichigo explained. "We were about to head over there."

"I can help you!" Kira volunteered. "I was planning on seeing my brother, anyway, before visiting hours are over and I have to head back to my dorm!"

Ichigo and Shiro exchanged a look and the former of the two shrugged.

"Okay."

As Kira led the two boys through the semi-crowded halls, she couldn't help the goose bumps that rose on her skin. Something about the white-skinned boy freaked her out; she couldn't explain it, but something was off about him. And Ichigo was a whole different story; Kira had always been sensitive to Reiatsu, and this guy was at least at seated level. Not only that, but he had this aura about him. While his expression was distant and uncaring, he exerted a kind of pressure that went beyond Reiatsu, and somehow he was even more intimidating than the other boy at his side.

Kira got the distinct feeling that she did not want to see this boy angry, and she mentally cursed herself for running into him earlier. If she hadn't been such a klutz . . .

But, now that she thought about it, Kira realized that Kurosaki Ichigo didn't seem upset with her. In fact, he had brushed off the whole incident – even forgetting about it! That realization gave Kira hope that she could be a friend to this guy, especially since her brother was supposed to be rooming with him. Though, judging from the way Kurosaki Ichigo and Kurosaki Shiro had been arguing earlier, Riku was going to have a tough time, even though (and Kira hated to admit this) he was even stronger than Kira was. After the exams, Kira's brother had excitedly announced that he'd most likely gotten all advanced classes. Kira got the feeling that she had as well, but only barely. She was going to have a tough year, without a doubt.

Not to mention that her younger sister, Mika, had also joined the Shin'ō Academy. While she probably wasn't in any advanced classes, she still had enough Reiatsu to qualify for the academy. Kira couldn't help but be concerned; Mika had always been a target, and she was very shy and unwilling to defend herself.

Glancing up at Kurosaki Ichigo, Kira came to the conclusion that this boy was the exact opposite. She never wanted to see his bad side if she could help it.

"Oh," Kira said, her surroundings pulling her out of her musings, "we're here. HEY, RIKU!" Kira pounded on the solid wooden door, one of many in the long hallway.

"Will you stop that?!"

A very irritated boy yanked open the door and had to duck as Kira's fist nearly hit him.

"And watch where you're knocking!"

Ichigo stared at the boy who bore an unmistakable resemblance to the girl he was glaring at. While his hair was black, his eyes were a slightly darker – yet still similar – shade of blue than his sister's. He was a little shorter than Ichigo, but just as muscular, and Ichigo couldn't help but be reminded of Ganju.

The boy – he could only be Riku – looked past his sister. Immediately, he directed the hostility he had been aiming at his sister over to Ichigo and Shiro.

"Who're you?" He asked hotly. Kira rolled her eyes, but Ichigo stepped in before the two could get mad at each other again.

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, and this is my brother, Shiro. We're rooming with you."

Riku's attitude abruptly shifted, becoming a lot more welcoming.

"Oh, okay! Come in, then!"

He opened the door wide and stepped back, allowing Ichigo, Shiro, and Kira to enter the room. Ichigo saw that Riku was already wearing an academy uniform.

"They're required as soon as possible so that teachers can keep an eye out for academy students doing things they shouldn't," Riku explained, seeing Ichigo's expression.

"I guess I'd better change, then," Ichigo sighed, opening the small closet on his side of the room. There were multiple pairs of Academy uniforms; they resembled normal Shihakushō, but the undershirt and hakama were blue.

Kira looked away for a few moments while Ichigo and Shiro changed their pants. When she looked back, her eyes bugged out of her face, since Ichigo wasn't wearing a shirt. Ichigo didn't seem to notice, instead giving Kira a confused look.

"Aren't girls not allowed in the boys' dorms?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl in front of him while he put on his shirt. The room itself had a bed for Riku and a bunk bed for Shiro and Ichigo. Obviously, someone had planned out the organization.

"No, no, since the year hasn't started yet, we're allowed to tour the school," Kira stammered. "Including both of the dorms for a few hours each day, though teachers will come by every now and then to check on students. The rules are even looser when you have family in the dorms; I can visit my brother for an hour after class."

Kira stared at Ichigo, one hand at her mouth while she blushed furiously. Ichigo, one eyebrow raised, looked back at her.

"What's got you so concerned?" He asked mildly while he finished changing his shirt. In the background, both Shiro and Riku snickered.

"T - the bruise on your stomach," Kira stuttered, tripping over her own words. "Is that from when I fell into you before the entrance exams?"

Ichigo glanced down at his stomach and prodded the area where the bruise was. He barely even registered the pain; having been dealt so many normally fatal blows the pain from a mere bruise meant absolutely nothing to Ichigo.

"No, it's not from you," Ichigo said, not feeling the need to elaborate, though all he had to say was that it was from his spar during the testing.

"Okay," Kira replied awkwardly, not really sure to what to make of the boy in front of her. _He's a lot different than Riku, _she thought.

"So, Ichigo," Riku said conversationally, why are you at the academy?"

Ichigo and Shiro exchanged a look – Kira noted that they seemed to do that a lot – and then Ichigo shrugged.

"My family's in a bit of a tough situation, so they sent me here. They're hoping that because I have abnormally strong spirit energy, I can go on missions and send money back."

It was the explanation that Rukia and Renji had told Ichigo to use. It was also partly true; Ichigo felt like repaying the Shiba family for helping him when he came to the Soul Society, so he figured that money from missions would be a good way to do so. However, Kūkaku had insisted on giving Ichigo money so "you won't be flat broke during the school year", so the boy was planning on spending as little of that as possible until he could repay Kūkaku and use his own money.

Ichigo had never been much for freeloading, unlike Renji.

"Wow, that's pretty cool," Riku said, leaning forward. "So you're doing it for your family?"

"Yeah," Ichigo affirmed. Then he shot a sideways look at Shiro. "Plus, my family wanted me to keep an eye on Shiro so that he doesn't do anything stupid."

Was it just Kira's imagination, or was there an underlying threat to Kurosaki Ichigo's words?

"We're here because our parents were having a touch time as well," Riku said, scratching the back of his neck. "Mika tagged along because she's always been fascinated by Shinigami, and I don't even know why Kira – ow!" Kira threw a pillow at her older brother, sending him flying back.

"Nice throw," Ichigo commented. "Also, for the record, you guys don't need to be formal with me. Calling me 'Ichigo' works just fine. I've never been good with formalities."

There was something about that name that tickled Kira's memory, but she couldn't quite place it. She dismissed it from her mind, guessing that she'd heard someone yelling it at some point on the streets. Most likely, it was pure coincidence.

"Same goes for me," Riku replied with a grin.

"And me!" Kira added.

Shiro said nothing, seemingly content with ignoring everyone and everything. Ichigo was actually somewhat thankful for that; he didn't want to get into yet another fight with his inner hollow unless it was in an area where no one else would get hurt.

Either way, Ichigo got the feeling that Riku and Kira were going to be two of his strongest allies at the Shin'ō Academy. He remembered that they had a sister, but since Ichigo hadn't met her yet, he didn't really think about her.

Vaguely, he was aware of Riku and Kira arguing about something – it sounded like Riku was insisting that he could beat Kira in an arm-wrestling contest – but Ichigo was too tired to care. Eyes closing, he fell back in bed and was asleep within minutes.

* * *

_**A few quick and important notes:**_

_Kira is going to be a major character, as well as her brother and sister (you'll meet her later). HOWEVER there is never going to be any romance with any of them because 1) it's a pain to write 2) I suck at it and 3) I hate OP OCs. Yes, Kira is not in canon, but I like writing her, and there will be a reason why she doesn't show up later in Ichigo's life (though considering how much I've already screwed with the plot I don't see why that matters but voices have been bugging me and telling me that I should keep all my exits covered). Yes, Kira and her brother are strong, but they are not above fourth seat. Mika is even weaker. So if you have a problem with me having semi-realistic side characters at the Academy when there were no other options available, I (sarcastically) apologize._

_Shiro will, at one point, be getting his own chapter, because I like writing him. That won't be coming for a while yet, however, and a lot of things are going to happen beforehand._

_Thank you to the two people who took the time to review!_

_-RoR_

_Coming up: Reaction chapter, and betting has never been anyone's strong suit _

_Please review._


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Some other lucky guy was smarter and more imaginative than I could ever hope to be.**

* * *

Chapter 11

"Dammit, Rukia, WILL YOU STOP LAUGHING?! I CAN'T READ WHEN YOU'RE LAUGHING!"

Rukia was practically in stitches, as was Renji.

"Sorry," Rukia gasped, "but the thought of you attending the Shin'ō Academy is just . . ."

"Ridiculous! Renji finished. "You'd never make it!"

"Well, the author seems intent on figuring that out," Uryū said calmly. "Of course, I agree with you."

"Hey!" Ichigo protested. "Uryū!"

"I think Ichigo will make it!" Orihime said, leaning against Ichigo's shoulder with a strangely intense expression on his face. "If he went through the entire Soul Society to save Rukia, he can probably get through a year at the whatsitcalled academy to get back at Renji!"

"Probably?" Ichigo repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Thanks, Orihime."

"No problem!"

"Orihime," Rukia put in gently, "it's called the Shin'ō Academy, or Shinigami Academy."

"I knew that," Orihime replied defensively. She could feel Ichigo chuckling since she was leaning up against him. Realizing that, she hurriedly straightened, blushing, even though she hadn't really cared earlier while Ichigo was reading. Ichigo gave his friend a confused look, but didn't comment.

There was another awkward silence, and then Orihime got excited again.

"We should say our favorite parts!" She declared, startling Ichigo.

"What?"

"My favorite part," Orihime continued, ignoring Ichigo's interruption, "was when Ichigo nearly ripped the arms off that dummy with that cool spell!"

Somehow, Orihime remained oblivious to the concerned looks she was getting from nearly everyone in the room.

"I suppose I'll go next," Uryū sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Personally, I enjoyed the scene of Ichigo tackling that Shiro boy."

He didn't notice Ichigo's wince at that statement.

In fact, while Ichigo had been reading, his inner hollow had been having a field day in providing commentary. It was a miracle that Ichigo hadn't snapped yet, but Orihime's constant pestering to keep reading had somehow kept Ichigo focused.

"I think Shiro is a pretty interesting character," Rukia added. "The author obviously knows Ichigo like the back of his hand."

"He could still be a girl!" Orihime protested.

"Then you should still say 'she' and not 'he'!" Uryū snapped, his right eyebrow twitching slightly at Orihime's antics.

"Chill, Uryū," Ichigo laughed.

"Personally," Renji mused, "I liked the fight between Ichigo and Kenpachi."

"That was pretty interesting," Rukia agreed. Ichigo, on the other hand, was trying to keep his expression calm. While his inner hollow had gone silent, the mere act of bringing him up was making his headache that had sprung up worse.

"Hey, Ichigo," Renji said, glancing up at the Substitute Shinigami, "do you think that could actually happen to someone? Y'know, the full hollowfication thing? I mean, if you're a Soul Reaper, that should be impossible, right?"

"Y – yeah," Ichigo agreed, only hesitating for a split second. "That would definitely be weird for a Shinigami to suddenly transform into a hollow. Plus, it doesn't make any sense. It's not possible for a Shinigami to become a hollow."

"I have to agree," Uryū stated, pushing up his glasses. "Shinigami and hollows are practically opposites. Combining the two ideas simply doesn't work."

The dark atmosphere in the room that Renji's question had created suddenly lifted with a crash from the closet.

"What the hell is Kon doing now?" Ichigo growled irritably, handing his computer to Orihime and stalking over to the closet. When Ichigo threw open the door, he was met with a flying tackle from a very annoyed Kon.

Of course, Kon, being a stuffed lion, was only capable of holding onto Ichigo's face. Even that didn't last long as Ichigo reached up, plucked Kon off his head, and threw the mod soul across the room. Kon made a pathetic squeaking noise when he hit the opposite wall, and slowly slid down its surface.

"Rukia . . ." He groaned.

"Pervert," Ichigo muttered, returning to his bed. Orihime handed him his laptop, but Ichigo waved it away. "We can take a break. My throat's dry anyway."

He barely reacted in time to catch the water bottle that Rukia threw at him.

"Hey!"

"You said you were thirsty," she responded, shrugging.

"Hey, Rukia," Renji said, glancing at his old friend, "you never said what your favorite part was. Neither did you, Ichigo."

Ichigo mumbled that the fight with him fully hollowfied had been pretty cool while Rukia thought.

"I would have to say that the scene of the entrance exams was very interesting," Rukia put in, pursing her lips while she spoke. "It's not exactly how the exams are actually done-" Renji grunted his agreement – "but it was still a good description, and the main lessons that are taught at the academy are covered well."

"Basic teachings, Kidō, Hohō, Hakuda, and Zanjutsu," Uryū listed from memory. Rukia nodded.

"There are other classes as well," she explained, pulling out a notebook and coloring supplies. She quickly drew as she spoke. "See, you have those four main classes, separated into two groups: advanced and regular. Advanced classes are for students with high Reiatsu and/or natural talent. Regular classes, on the other hand, are for students with lower Reiatsu and less innate skill, but still have the potential to do well. On top of that main curriculum, there are other classes, such as calligraphy – though I believe that class has been cancelled indefinitely – haiku, Zanpakutō meditation, and extra help for any of the main classes."

"That's pretty extensive," Ichigo commented. Renji sighed, rubbing a particular spot on his arm like he was remembering an incident from the Academy.

"Yeah, it is," he said. "I remember that I was in the advanced classes, and they worked us pretty hard. It didn't take long for us to start going to the world of the living to practice against dummy hollows, and then eventually the real thing."

"Did you have a favorite teacher?" Orihime questioned, leaning forward. Her eyes were wide with interest.

"Um," Renji replied, looking away. "Not really. My memory of the academy is kind of hazy." He was clearly lying, but no one was willing to push the issue.

"Anyway," Rukia continued, glancing at her friend, "classes run Monday through Friday, with Saturday being the day the Academy is open for extra help, should students need it. Sunday is completely free, and it's usually when students visit their families or go out partying."

"Drawing lessons clearly weren't part of it," Ichigo muttered, staring at Rukia's illustrations. For that comment, he received a sketchbook to the face. "Ow!"

Rukia glared at Ichigo for a few moments and then looked away, clearly miffed.

After a few moments, Orihime began giggling.

"What's so funny?" Ichigo asked, noting that his friend was looking straight at a very uncomfortable Renji.

"Nothing," Orihime replied with a smile, "I'm just picturing Renji with yellow hair!"

"Then he really would look like a pineapple," Uryū stated, giving Renji an appraising look. Renji went red.

"Not true! And I doubt that I'll have to dye my hair yellow in the story!"

"Should we make bets?" Ichigo challenged, a gleam in his eyes.

"But we don't know if you've already read the last few chapters, Ichigo!" Kon yelled from his position on the floor. He'd tried making a dash for Rukia, but had gotten rejected quite forcefully.

"Kon's got a point," Renji sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "We don't know if you'll cheat, Ichigo."

"You guys are so trusting," Ichigo muttered.

"I still want to make bets!" Orihime insisted, startling Ichigo. "I like this story and I want to win!"

"Orihime," Ichigo said, "you've got some weird quirks. You know that, right?"

"Yup!" Orihime replied, while simultaneously thinking, _I don't exactly know what quirks are . . ._

"Okay," Rukia said, pulling out another notebook and a pen. "What are the sides?"

"I win the bet or Renji wins the bet," Ichigo declared. Rukia nodded, quickly separating the page into two sections, one marked "Ichigo" and the other marked "Renji".

"And what are the votes?"

"I win," Renji said, crossing his arms. Rukia put a tally on the "Renji" side.

"I win," Ichigo growled. Rukia scratched a mark on the "Ichigo" section.

"Ichigo wins!" Orihime said, grinning widely.

Uryū sighed and took a moment to think.

"Put me down for Renji," he said eventually. At Ichigo's incredulous look, Uryū shrugged. "You're too impulsive, Ichigo. I have no doubt that the writer knows this, and will take advantage of that fact."

"What Uryū said!" Kon yelled, struggling to be heard over the rain and thunder.

"Hmm . . ." Rukia murmured, staring at the page in front of her. "There are three people voting for Renji, and two people voting for Ichigo."

"Who're you voting for, Rukia?" Orihime questioned, staring intently at the Shinigami. Rukia sighed.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Renji."

"That makes it four to two," Uryū said, smirking. "I believe we can all tell how this will turn out."

"Why don't we just skip ahead?" Kon suggested, but everyone in the room immediately glared at him.

"No way," Ichigo snapped. "Plus, this way all the people have time to change their votes to me before they lose!"

"Yeah, right!" Renji retorted. "You mean that Orihime's going to have time to switch to my side, because you're clearly going to lose!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"You two are ridiculous," Rukia sighed, placing her notebook and pen on the desk near her.

"Says the person who was writing in glow-in-the-dark pen!" Ichigo snapped. The pen in question was suddenly flying at his head and he rapidly ducked, seeing the utensil bury its point in the wall behind him. "Be careful!"

"You're lucky I missed!"

"What were you even aiming for?! Because if it was the wall I'm impressed you hit it!"

This time, Rukia managed to grab Kon – who didn't complain at first – and throw him as hard as she could at Ichigo. However, her aim was a bit off, and the stuffed lion hit Orihime right in the chest.

"This isn't too bad," Kon mumbled, hugging Orihime. Orihime was red, not really sure how to react.

"Get off her!" Ichigo growled, yanking Kon off and throwing him at random. Somehow, Ichigo managed to hit Renji. Instantly, Renji returned fire. Kon's protests were completely ignored as the room descended into chaos, with any soft object in Ichigo's room instantly becoming a potential missile. Ichigo took the opportunity to try and get back at Uryū, but the Quincy seemed more than adept at catching Ichigo's missiles and returning them with even more force.

Orihime seemed to be going after whoever was the most convenient target, and Ichigo seemed to be on the receiving end more than his fair share of the time.

Just as the competition was getting serious, a shrill beeping noise interrupted the group.

"Don't tell me," Ichigo groaned, pulling out his Shinigami badge. "Hollows? Can't Ikkaku handle them?"

"There's five," Rukia stated with concern, "and they're spreading out. Ikkaku won't be able to handle them before someone gets hurt. We should help him."

"We'll clean up your room while you're gone!" Orihime volunteered. "Right, Uryū?"

The boy had no choice but to agree. Ichigo smiled briefly, exited his body, and, after carefully pulling the plywood off the window, dashed out into the night after Rukia and Renji.

He could definitely hear the hollows, even over the wind and rain. They were also powerful; preying on Ichigo's sixth sense in a way that normal hollows couldn't manage.

"Of all the nights," Ichigo muttered. _And for the second time today . . ._

"Ichigo!" Rukia called. "There's one over by the park!"

"I'll handle it!"

With that, Ichigo quickly used Shunpo to get to where the hollow was as fast as possible.

On the way, Ichigo felt the familiar nagging fear in the back of his mind. He could feel his inner hollow stirring; the act of assuming his Shinigami form always seemed to let the inner hollow know Ichigo was vulnerable. On top of that, whenever Ichigo fought, the hollow grew even more powerful.

_At this rate_, Ichigo thought, _I won't be of much use to anyone._

His mind went back to that strange story.

_That author described my inner hollow exactly as I see him in my inner world, which is a little bit creepy. Even so, the inner hollow in the story – Shiro, or whatever – doesn't seem as crazy as the one I've got. Did the author change that to make the story easier? Or is it possible that my inner hollow might get to that point eventually?_

Ichigo arrived at the park in less time than he was expecting, and the hollow that had appeared there was hard to miss. It resembled an abnormally large bear, but with considerably longer claws and a considerably uglier face, even with the mask.

Automatically, Ichigo reached behind his back and pulled out Zangetsu.

_I can take this hollow; it's not that tough, even if it is stronger than normal hollows. If I can fight Byakuya, then I can take down a normal hollow!_

Steeling himself, Ichigo jumped at the hollow, swinging Zangetsu in a fatal arc. Somehow, the hollow heard him coming and stepped to the side at the last second, but it wasn't fast enough. One of its arms crashed to the ground, but Ichigo wasn't letting up and, when he hit the ground, he used it to push off and leap at the monster before him.

Zangetsu bit into the hollow's mask, and, with a scream of pain, the hollow dissipated in a rush of black.

In the distance, thunder rumbled. Ichigo was already soaked with rain, but he didn't really care. His inner hollow hadn't bugged him this time; he didn't know why, and he didn't really care. After glancing around the park, Ichigo decided that whatever spirit or person the hollow had been chasing had run away and hid. There was no chance that Ichigo could find whoever had run away.

With a sigh, the Substitute Shinigami began walking back to his house, slinging Zangetsu over his back as he did so. He didn't pay attention as his feet splashed into deep puddles; when he returned to his normal body, he would be dry. Ichigo wasn't entirely sure how that worked but it did.

Two splashes next to him alerted Ichigo that Rukia and Renji were back. The latter was nursing a shallow cut on his right arm, but other than that the two were unharmed.

"You were right about increased hollow activity," Ichigo commented. "There's a lot more of the bastards out tonight than normal. Usually there's only one, if that. Two is a stretch. Five is just ridiculous."

"That's why Renji, Ikkaku, and I all came," Rukia replied. "Even you would not have been able to handle all of those hollows before someone got hurt, even with the assistance of your bankai." Ichigo sighed.

"You're probably right."

"Anyway, let's head back," Renji suggested. "I want to keep reading that story to make sure that I win the bet."

"You're not going to win!" Ichigo spat.

"You're just too stubborn to admit that I will!"

"That's not why, Pineapple!"

"Really, Strawberry?!"

The arguing pair was on the ground in an instant. Rukia sighed, shaking out her hands, and glared at the boys below her.

"Are you done?" She demanded.

"Yes," Ichigo and Renji groaned at the same time.

"Good. Then we're heading back, and no more arguing, okay?"

"Okay."

It took the Shinigami and Substitute Shinigami a total of twenty minutes to defeat the hollows and head back. Rukia informed the group that Ikkaku was fine with staying out on his own. He'd claimed that, "I don't want to sit inside like a baby and share stories like little pansies".

"Figures," Ichigo had scoffed. "He's always had a hard head."

"Like a cue ball!" Orihime put in, earning a snicker from Renji.

"Hey, Ichigo," Uryū said, "Can I read the next few chapters? I know you want to give your voice a break."

Ichigo smirked. "I know you just want to have the spotlight, but sure, Uryū. We'll see if you're actually a better reader than I am."

With that, the laptop was handed off to Uryū, who cleared his throat and began reading while everyone else settled in.

* * *

_Ugh this chapter was hard to write. I hope none of the characters seem too OOC; I know Orihime isn't dumb, but she does have her moments._

_Anyway, I feel like this story is giving me way too many opportunities to break the fourth wall and criticize myself. It's weird, but fun._

_I'm sorry to any of you who wanted to see Ikkaku come into the room and do his thing, but that won't work since Karakura Town is kind of a hot spot for Hollows right now. As a side note, the reaction chapters will be fewer and farther between from this point onward._

_-RoR_

_Coming up: My personal favorite chapter to write so far because Ichigo . . . well, Ichigo's protective instincts come to the fore._

_Please review._


	12. Chapter 12

Hey guys! Finally, I get to post this chapter (midnight counts as Saturday). I can't say that it was fun to write - in fact, I didn't like writing the main scene because it was downright sickening, but the characters practically wrote themselves so I got to enjoy it in that aspect!

In other exciting news, I finally managed to come up with the big bad villain that this story needs. The villain won't be turning up for a while, since Ichigo still needs his Academy Introduction Arc, but after that things will be getting serious quickly. I won't say anything about the villain, but it's going to be interesting to write, to say the least. I just hope my horrible Japanese doesn't offend you guys when the time comes . . .

Notes/reminders:

_Character's inner thoughts_

**"Shiro's weird double voice"**

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Bleach.**

* * *

Chapter 12

**"Wake up, King!"**

Ichigo's eyes opened slowly at first, but they shot wide open when he saw a white fist heading for his face. Reacting on instinct, Ichigo caught the punch and threw the attacker away from him while he scrambled to his feet.

**"Nice instincts. Maybe you're not as hopeless as I remember."**

"Shut up, Shiro," Ichigo muttered while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and trying not to make the connection between his inner hollow's methods of waking him up and his dad's. "Why did you wake me up, anyways?"

The hollow shrugged. **"I was bored."**

Ichigo groaned. "Seriously?" Then he looked around, noting that the room was empty other than he and Shiro. "Where's Riku?"

**"He said something about visiting his family," **Shiro replied with a bored tone. **"He suggested we go meet Kira at the Zanjutsu training grounds."**

"When?"

**"Three minutes from now."**

Ichigo didn't even bother wasting breath on shouting at his inner hollow. Instead, he sped through his normal morning routine – the bathroom came equipped with a toothbrush and toothpaste, surprisingly enough – and was ready to go in two minutes flat.

"Let's go," Ichigo ordered. Shiro snickered.

**"You don't like to keep people waiting, do you?"**

"I also don't like getting woken up by someone about to punch me," Ichigo retorted.

**"You should be used to it by now!"**

"You should be less annoying by now!"

The argument died away as Ichigo and Shiro pushed their way through the crowd of people who were milling about the Shin'ō Academy.

**"Why is it so crowded?" **Shiro growled, giving anyone who touched him a death glare that sent the offender scurrying away in fear.

"Because the families are saying bye, probably," Ichigo answered, his eyes scanning the crowd. It took him a moment to find the sign that led to the Zanjutsu building, which was actually the least crowded area that Ichigo had seen so far that morning.

And, judging from the position of the sun, it wasn't even ten o'clock yet.

It took Ichigo a total of six minutes to meet Kira from the time that Shiro woke him up. Kira, to her credit, wasn't upset, claiming that she hadn't really expected Ichigo to show up at all.

"Why wouldn't I?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow while he sat cross-legged across from Kira. She had a small basket with her and was munching on an apple.

"No reason," Kira replied, taking a large bite. She tried to act casual, even though she was getting an even darker vibe from Shiro than she had the night before. _No offense, Ichigo, but your brother is seriously creepy._ "You want some breakfast? My parents gave me some food, but I don't want to eat it all."

Ichigo hesitated. In truth, he wasn't that hungry; if need be, he could go weeks without food as long as he didn't use too much of his Reiryoku. He had done so in the Dangai, and he could do it again. Plus, Kira already said that her family was in a tougher situation. It would be plain rude if Ichigo took her food.

Kira, sensing where Ichigo's thoughts were going, laughed.

"There's no need to worry," she said reassuringly. "Mika and Riku already took their shares, and there's plenty more. My parents insisted, and now I am too. So take some, before I force you to."

"Thank you," Ichigo replied politely, taking two apples. He handed one to Shiro. At first, Shiro looked like he was going to refuse, but then he sighed and took the food.

"You were pretty tired last night," Kira started conversationally as they ate. "I mean, when you fell asleep, you _stayed_ asleep. Even your brother was out pretty quickly after that!" Kira didn't miss the slight smirk that Ichigo shot his brother, nor the eye roll that Shiro returned.

"Yeah. The exam took a lot out of me."

Kira smiled. "Really? You don't seem like the kind of guy who would have that much difficulty with the entrance exam."

Shrugging, Ichigo took another bite of his apple, choosing not to respond verbally.

Staring at the boy sitting across from her, Kira couldn't help but wonder what had caused his brother to look so different. She'd heard of plenty of anomalies with souls – there was even a specific family that could turn into cats – but she'd never heard of anyone with white skin and hair, but normal eyes. In fact, now that Kira really looked, she could see that Ichigo and Shiro looked almost exactly the same; even their eyes were eerily similar. If Kira didn't know any better, she'd say that Shiro was an inverted copy of Ichigo.

_They're probably identical twins_, she thought, _except with different hair and skin color. I'm pretty sure I've heard of that happening before._

Comforted by her conclusion, Kira stopped examining Ichigo and Shiro, and instead tried to enjoy the nice weather. With the onset of winter fast approaching, days like these would soon be over, Kira knew.

She wasn't sure why she'd invited her brother's roommates to meet with her, since she'd known them for less than a day, not to mention that she was actually slightly afraid of Shiro. Ichigo on his own was enough to intimidate Kira, even though she usually never backed down from a challenge. However, there was just something _about_ Ichigo. He didn't seem like the type of boy who would bully others; in fact, he seemed like the opposite.

Kira finally found the right word for it.

Ichigo radiated loyalty - loyalty and strength when it mattered.

Kira was proud of herself for coming up with that. Her brother Riku had always made fun of her for making up weird readings of other people, but at this point Kira knew that she was accurate.

"Kira?" Ichigo asked mildly.

"Yes?" She responded, still smiling to herself.

"Is there a reason that you're staring at me?"

"Sorry!"

Kira hadn't even realized that she'd been staring at Ichigo while he ate his food. Hurriedly, she looked away, trying to fight the blush that rose on her face. She knew that staring at anyone was rude; this was the second time she'd screwed something up with Ichigo, and it was in less than a day! Mentally, Kira berated herself. Usually, she wasn't this awkward around strangers. Of course, Kira could blame Shiro. That guy had been giving her a weird look for a while now, and Kira was starting to get tired of trying to ignore it.

"What are you looking at?" She snapped, temper flaring. Shiro looked taken aback for a moment, and Ichigo glanced between the two of them, something unreadable in his eyes. Kira didn't notice the way his hands tightened fractionally, or how his eyes narrowed in warning.

**"I was just wondering," **Shiro said flatly, **"where your little sister is. Your brother said that she was supposed to meet you here too."**

"You never said that before!" Ichigo protested angrily.

**"It didn't matter," **Shiro replied just as hotly.

Looking at the two of them, Kira couldn't help but smile slightly. They were definitely brothers – Kira knew that much was for sure. Her amusement abruptly disappeared when she fully processed Shiro's words.

"Oh no," she whispered, eyes going wide. "Ichigo, I'll be right back! Watch my stuff, okay?"

"Wait, Kira-!"

It was no use. As Ichigo was standing up, Kira was already sprinting across the field, blue hair flying behind her. Ichigo stared after her, confused.

"What's got her so worked up?" Ichigo asked no one, frowning.

**"Her sister was supposed to be here ten minutes ago," **Shiro answered, folding his arms.

"Why didn't you mention that earlier?" Ichigo growled, reaching down and picking up the basket. He had a feeling that he wouldn't be staying put for very long.

**"I said it before: it didn't matter!"**

"It matters now!"

* * *

Kira raced through the crowded areas of the Shinigami Academy, heading towards the girls' dorms. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her breath was coming in gasps.

_How could I forget about Mika? _She screamed at herself in her mind. _I knew she would be targeted, I _knew _it! I should've walked her here myself! Why did I let Ichigo distract me?!_

As she ran, Kira received strange looks from many of the other students gathered, but she ignored them. She was single mindedly focused on finding her sister, before something bad happened to her. If Mika was hurt, Kira would never forgive herself, especially since it wasn't even the first day of school yet.

Since she was so distracted, Kira accidentally ran into another student and fell backwards, landing on her butt.

_Ow . . ._

"Sorry!" She hurriedly apologized, scrambling to her feet. The student wasn't paying attention; Kira wasn't even sure if the giant had noticed her running into him. Either way, it was lucky; as Kira stood, her eye caught something shiny in a nearby alleyway between two of the administration buildings.

_Mika's bracelet! _ Kira realized, sprinting in that direction and no longer caring about how many people she pushed out of her way. The sight of the jewelry validated Kira's panicked thoughts. _I knew something bad was going to happen!_

The alley went back quite a ways, but Kira stopped to pick up the silver bracelet that belonged to her sister before continuing. It had been a special gift from their mother when Mika was little, and Mika would never willingly part with it. Tucking it into a pocket, Kira continued running.

As she made her way through the twists and turns hidden between buildings, the noise from the main courtyard began to fade. Soon, Kira could hear her own ragged breathing, accompanied by something else. Kira froze, listening. It sounded like someone shouting for help, and the person's voice shook with fear.

"N – no! Please! Go away!"

"Mika," Kira breathed, doubling her pace, feet pounding on the cracked brick below. The alleys were shrouded from the light of the sun but enough leaked through the rooftops to illuminate the way while Kira ran. Whoever had dragged Mika off didn't want her found; they had gone to extensive lengths so that they wouldn't be heard.

"Hey, you, we said shut up!"

The order was accompanied by a yelp from a much smaller, more frightened voice that was obviously in pain.

Kira rounded the last bend and came upon a small opening between two buildings, where a few scattered patches of sunlight played on the ground.

The scene before Kira was anything but playful. Three large boys, dressed in Academy uniforms, had cornered a much smaller, almost petite girl with dark hair reminiscent of Riku. Her startlingly blue eyes swam with tears, and she had a bloody cut down one side of her face. She was pressed up against the wall, clutching her ribs and breathing shallowly.

Kira's vision went as red as the blood running down her younger sister's terrified face.

"Hey! Jerks!" Kira yelled, distracting the three bullies from Mika, who tried to scramble away. One of the bullies, however, caught the small girl and threw her back with a warning to stay put. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Kira had momentarily caught the boys by surprise with her sudden appearance, but they were rapidly recovering their wits.

"Hey, guys!" The biggest guy called, smirking. "She's alone!"

"Now there's two of them," another of the boys said, grinning. "That's twice the fun!"

"Bastards!" Kira spat, cracking her knuckles. "Which one of you wants a piece of me first?!"

With a snicker, the smallest of the three boys – who was still over a foot taller than Kira – stepped forward to face the new arrival. Before he had fully prepared himself, however, Kira had already launched her attack.

She caught the boy with a devastating right hook that caught him on the jaw, sending him spinning away, clutching his face. Mentally, Kira cursed. It had been a while since she'd gotten in a fight, and the calluses that had formed a protective layer on her fist were gone. Not to mention the fact that Kira had been hoping to take that boy out for longer with just the first punch.

"Bitch," the boy gasped, wiping his mouth. Kira didn't reply, watching her opponent like hawk.

She wasn't prepared for when the boy suddenly flew at her, launching into a series of punches and kicks that Kira barely managed to dodge.

Somehow, these boys had already had some training in the martial arts, because they weren't bad at all. With a grunt, Kira caught one of the boy's punches and threw one of her own, aiming for her opponent's solar plexus. However, the boy caught her punch and twisted Kira's arm behind her back in a painful way, making Kira cry out.

"Kira!" Mika called weakly, struggling to get up. The biggest boy planting his foot in her face stopped her, and she crashed back to the ground, coughing up blood when she did so.

"Mika!" Kira cried, eyes watering as she saw her sister wince in agony, more crimson dribbling down her chin. Desperately, she tried to get out of the hold she was in, but the more she struggled the more it hurt.

"Keep it up," the boy behind her hissed, "and you're going to dislocate your own shoulder."

"Then let me go, you monster!" Kira shouted, trying to slam her foot down on the boy's instep. He saw that coming, and quickly dodged. At the same time, he spun and slammed Kira's head into the nearby wall, stunning her.

Kira's vision flickered as pain exploded from the right side of her head. Unable to support her anymore, Kira's legs buckled and she folded to the ground, barely conscious.

"Idiot!" The middle boy snapped. "Be more careful!"

"She wouldn't stop struggling!"

Suddenly, both boys froze, turning to face a different direction. Kira couldn't see much from her position, but she struggled to keep her eyes open so that she could see what was happening.

"Who the hell are you?" The biggest boy questioned threateningly, taking a menacing step towards the entrance to the small area. There was a slight pause before the newcomer replied.

"My name is Kurosaki Ichigo, and I came here to deliver my friend her basket of food."

Then, as if three boys – two of whom were even bigger than Ichigo – weren't staring him down, Ichigo walked over to where Kira was lying and placed the familiar picnic basket in front of her.

"What happened?" He asked her quietly as he kneeled down. Even with her darkened vision, Kira could see a strangely intense look on Ichigo's face. She didn't even stop to wonder how the boy had found her.

"My sister," Kira managed, gaze going to the girl in question. "The boys . . . hurt her . . . I tried to . . . stop them . . ." After that, Kira's mouth wouldn't work properly anymore. Mika was crying, and the hiccupping sounds broke Kira's heart. It took a lot to make Mika cry, despite how fragile she looked.

"Shut up, you!" The largest boy growled, kicking the defenseless girl. Kira tried to call out to her sister, but her body wasn't working right.

The second she glanced back at Ichigo, Kira froze.

That look of intensity on his face had been replaced by one of absolute fury. The temperature in the alleyway seemed to plummet as a pressure filled the area, heavy enough to make Kira's ears pop. It was physically distorting the air, and Kira could make out the boys and Mika struggling to breathe. Even Kira was finding it difficult to force air to her lungs, like something was pressing down on her back.

Slowly, Ichigo rose to his feet, and Kira realized with a small gasp that _he_ was the source of the power swirling through the air. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, and for the first time Kira got a good look at his face, without his hair covering one of his eyes.

Had she been able to, she would've screamed.

Ichigo's right eye was _black_, and his iris was a deep, glowing gold. Later, Kira would write it off as a delusion, but at the moment she could barely breathe.

"Did you hurt these girls?" Ichigo growled, his voice so dangerous it could've split stone. Distantly, Kira saw Shiro standing at the entrance to the area, preventing anyone from coming in or leaving.

The bullies were so focused on trying to remain on their feet that they couldn't respond. Their faces were red as they struggled to breathe from the sheer force of Ichigo's spiritual pressure.

"I _said_," Ichigo repeated, picking up the medium boy by his collar and holding him up, "did. You. Hurt. These. Girls?" His voice was deadly, and Kira could feel it sparking a deep, instinctual fear inside of her.

"No!" The boy gasped, hands weakly grasping at Ichigo's death grip around the boy's throat. "We didn't!"

"Wrong answer," Ichigo snarled, throwing the boy into the wall with enough force to crack the brick and send dust flying into the air. The boy fell in a way that made it clear he wasn't going to get up again any time soon, not even making a sound. The other two bullies watched in terror, slowly backing away, unconsciously heading towards the exit.

**"Where do you think you're going?" **Shiro asked maliciously, startling them. Kira practically choked when she saw that he had the same eye as his twin brother.

The bullies yelped and tried to get away, but Shiro was way too fast for them. Easily, he grabbed the smaller of the two and threw him into the other one, sending both of them tumbling back towards Ichigo with relative ease.

"Let me repeat the question for the third and final time," Ichigo growled, picking up the smaller boy while the bigger one trembled on the ground. "Did you hurt these girls?"

"Y – yes!" The boy blubbered, tears running down his face. He was clearly terrified, his gaze fixed on Ichigo's right eye.

"Good," Ichigo hissed, his grip tightening. "Because now I won't feel guilty about what I'm going to do next."

Kira could hear yelling and noises that she didn't want to identify, but her vision was rapidly fading to black and she could no longer keep her eyes open. Everything was just so _heavy_. Sounds echoed and Kira dropped into unconsciousness, her head thudding against the ground as her body went limp.

* * *

"Kira? Kira, can you hear me? I need you to wake up."

The soft, persistent, and familiar voice dragged Kira out of the comforting reaches of unconsciousness. She stirred slightly, and immediately groaned from the pounding that came from her head. It felt as if someone was taking a sword to the inside of Kira's skull.

"You're not dead. That's good; your younger sister was starting to get worried."

At the mention of her sister, Kira dragged open her eyes. For a moment, her vision was unfocused and all she could make out were blurred colors. Then she blinked and the world slowly focused around her.

"Ichigo?" She muttered thickly, recognizing the mop of bright orange hair that was kneeling in front of her. For a moment, instead of the gentle amber eyes that were regarding her, Kira saw a menacing eye with a black sclera and yellow pupil, but when she blinked the image was gone. _I must've hit my head pretty hard._

"Yeah," he replied gently. "Can you sit up?"

"I dunno," Kira replied slowly, her thoughts murky. She suddenly remembered something, causing her eyes to shoot wide open as the jumped to her feet. "Mika! Those boys!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Ichigo caught Kira as she stumbled, getting dizzy and losing her balance from her head trauma. "Take it easy, Kira! You've probably got a bad concussion!"

The girl had gone limp, and Ichigo carefully sat her down, propping her up against the wall.

"Better?" He asked. Kira nodded, then clenched her teeth at how much it hurt.

"Where's Mika?" Kira ground out, ignoring the pain her head. "I need . . . to know how Mika is."

"Here," a small voice replied. Kira looked past Ichigo and saw Mika. Surprisingly enough, she was using Shiro for support, and the boy actually didn't look too annoyed about it. He had one hand resting on Mika's opposite shoulder while Mika leaned into him. If she fell, he would be able to catch her. There was still blood smeared on Mika's face, and her voice was even quieter than normal, but otherwise she looked unharmed.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Kira breathed, smiling at her sister. Mika nodded, out of words. She rarely spoke, even to Kira, whom she looked up to in the best way possible. Ichigo glanced between them, noting how similar they looked. The facial structure was pretty much the same, but Mika was built on a smaller scale. She looked so much more fragile than her blue-haired sister. "Thank you, Ichigo," Kira suddenly said, looking at her new friend. The boy was taken aback.

"I didn't do much," he quickly said. Despite how much her head was pounding, Kira managed to lift an eyebrow.

"Don't give me that. I may be concussed, but I remember that if you hadn't shown up, Mika and I . . ." She couldn't finish her sentence, and she saw a brief flash of anger on Ichigo's face. "Hey, Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened to those three boys?"

Ichigo bit his lip and glanced at Shiro, then sighed.

"They got what they deserved," he answered vaguely, holding out a hand. "Now c'mon. We're going to take you to the medical wing." His tone and rapid switch of topic invited no further questioning about the three bullies.

"I thought it was only active during the school year . . . for students injured during spars," Kira said, having to pause to keep her thoughts in order. Ichigo shrugged.

"They're open," he said, sounding sure of himself. There was a wicked gleam in his eye for a fleeting moment that Kira didn't want to ask about. Shiro mirrored the expression, except he was grinning maniacally, not bothering to hide his apparent glee. For the first time, Kira noticed the stains on his uniform that hadn't been there before. Before she could ask about them, however, Ichigo was moving to kneel next to her.

"Put your arm around my shoulder," he ordered. Kira did as she was told, and Ichigo carefully supported her as he rose to his feet.

"I don't want you to carry me," Kira protested weakly.

"Too bad," Ichigo replied, slipping a hand around Kira's waist to support her while simultaneously reaching down and grabbing what Kira recognized as the picnic basket. "Well, you can walk a little. I'm not carrying you entirely, Princess."

If Kira had had the strength, she would've hit Ichigo, but as it were she could only make a small noise of assent, though she wasn't a fan of being called "Princess".

Kira couldn't bear the look of naked concern on Mika's face; it should be the other way around, with Kira looking at Mika like that. Kira's little sister shouldn't have to go through things like this.

"I'm okay, Mika," Kira told her sister reassuringly, trying to give her a smile. It came out kind of broken, but judging from the way Mika's expression brightened slightly, the smile had been enough.

Shiro continued guiding Mika as Ichigo supported Kira, and together the foursome walked out of the alleyway. In the sky, stars were beginning to shine. Kira could make out the sun setting in the distance.

"How long was I out for?" She asked as Ichigo led her through the now empty courtyard. Ichigo made a grunting noise.

"A few hours. Then you woke up, mumbled a few things, tried to crawl away, and passed out again."

"Why didn't you take me to the medical wing sooner?" Kira queried. She didn't want to nitpick her rescuer's actions, but still.

The look that passed over Ichigo's face was hard to interpret.

"I just figured you'd want to wake up with your sister," he answered, glancing down at her. "Plus, I didn't want to have to carry you out when there were still people around. You didn't want to have rumors about you starting before the school year did, do you?"

"Of – of course not!" Kira stuttered. "But . . . my brother?"

"I'll let him know where you are as soon as I drop you off," Ichigo answered. "I didn't want to leave you guys alone with only Shiro around." They were almost to the medical building now; it was a single story, with the lights mostly off. From what Kira could see, there weren't many people there. Shiro's annoyed voice suddenly disrupted the peace.

**"if you keep moving your head like that, you're going to trip and I'm not going to catch you."**

"Shiro!" Ichigo snapped, looking back at his brother, who was struggling to support Mika. She kept glancing worriedly at Kira, her eyes wide and questioning. Sometimes, she was like a little kid, unwilling to talk and desperate for someone else to be strong. Once again, Kira gave her a smile.

"There's no need to worry, Mika, okay?"

The younger girl nodded, and Shiro let out an annoyed breath, but didn't say anything else.

When Ichigo walked through the doors of the medical wing, supporting an injured Kira, there was quite the uproar from the few medical staff on duty.

"More injured students?" The nurse at the main desk said in disbelief. "On top of those three poor boys who staggered in here earlier . . . thank you for bringing them here, ah,"

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Ichigo supplied helpfully, handing a dazed Kira and basked off to more medical staff. Shiro did the same with Mika.

Before the nurse in charge could ask the young men any questions, they were already gone. She blinked, confused, and then shrugged.

"I don't want to know," she muttered to herself, having treated more than her fair share of injured students.

* * *

After letting Riku know about his sisters, Ichigo and Shiro camped out in their dorm room. Riku had left in a rush after asking Ichigo a few pointed questions. When the orange-haired boy deflected every single one or gave a half-truth, Riku just sighed. After a minute, he gave up and rushed out of the room.

Now, a little while later, Ichigo, who had managed to claim the bottom bunk of the bunk bed that he and Shiro shared, lay stretched out. He had already showered, as had Shiro, and now he was thinking.

"You felt it too, right?" He eventually said to the bottom of the bed above him.

**"Felt what?" **Shiro replied irritably.

"When we were beating up those idiot bullies," Ichigo clarified. "That . . . rush."

Shiro was silent for a minute. **"Yeah. I felt it. Felt pretty good, actually. Nice work, by the way, King."**

"I don't want praise from you."

**"That's no way to treat your brother." **Shiro paused for a beat. **"Also, if anyone's going to expose us, it's going to be you. You were practically radiating hollow Reiatsu during that fight, more than me. Reign in your righteous anger, _King_."**

"Shut up, idiot. I'm not going to get us caught. Anyway, I want to know something else."

**"What is it now?"**

"Mika," Ichigo said simply. Shiro instantly went quiet. "You were weirdly attached to her that whole time. When we were fighting, and one of the bullies tried to go after Mika to try and use her as a hostage, you completely freaked."

**"I was trying to kill him. That's it. Mika was annoying."**

"Oh, really?" Ichigo pressed. "Then why were you so willing to support her? When she passed out you definitely got concerned, and when she woke up you almost volunteered to be the one to support her."

**"There's nothing to talk about," **Shiro growled.

"There definitely is. What aren't you telling me, Shiro?"

**"NOTHING!" ** The hollow suddenly shouted. He abruptly calmed, taking a few deep breaths. **"Now don't bug me again, or I swear I'll try to take you over in your sleep."**

" . . . Fine."

Ichigo wanted to press the issue, he really did, but he sensed that his inner hollow would make good on his threat. If that happened, Ichigo would probably get kicked out of the Shin'ō Academy, and then he'd have to share a meal with Kenpachi for all the captains to see.

He shivered at the thought and turned over, facing the wall. In minutes, he was asleep.

* * *

A/N And that's a wrap! I'm not sure exactly what to say here other than that this chapter was mostly to show that Ichigo isn't exactly himself right now, while at the same time still being the big brother that Karin and Yuzu know all too well. The issue with his Reiatsu and Reiryoku is going to continue to be a problem.

More explanation on Shiro's character will be coming. After all, I did start this fic with the intention of developing his character . . . I refuse to believe that he's just a homicidal psychopath. There's too many hints in Bleach to counteract that argument. Shiro has reasons for everything that he does.

Also, I apologize for any bad grammar/spelling mistakes. I don't have enough time to proofread my chapters the way I'd like, but I do my best.

-RoR

Coming up: Aftermath of this . . . little incident

Please review.


	13. Chapter 13

_This chapter is somewhat short, but considering that I usually upload twice a week it's not too bad. _

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach_**

* * *

Chapter 13

"So you're going to be fine before the school year starts?" Ichigo asked, sitting next to the bed that Kira was resting in. Mika, Riku, and Shiro were also there, making the small room somewhat crowded. It was the following morning, and Ichigo had actually gotten a full night's rest – until Shiro woke him up by yanking Ichigo's mattress out from under him. Thanks to the argument that followed, Riku had woken up as well, despite having gotten in late the previous night because he'd been watching over Kira in the infirmary.

"Yeah," Kira answered, managing a small smile. "I have a concussion, but it's not as bad as they thought it was. Some healers from the Fourth Division visited, and they said I'll be fine by Friday."

"That's good," Riku commented, grinning at his sister. Mika made a noise of agreement. "By the way, Ichigo, you never really told me what happened yesterday."

Ichigo shifted uncomfortably, and even Shiro's expression darkened slightly. Kira watched him, eyebrows drawing together. She couldn't remember much from last night either, and if Mika recalled anything she wasn't sharing.

"It's a long story," Ichigo said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Nothing you guys need to worry about."

"Considering that my sisters got hurt," Riku pointed out flatly, "I'd say it's something I need to worry about."

Ichigo was well aware that Riku was frustrated at not having been there to help his sisters when they needed him. While he was grateful to Ichigo, he still felt the tiniest thread of suspicion.

For a few seconds, Ichigo debated whether to tell his new friends – because they were undoubtedly friends now – about what had really happened the previous night. However, he could feel Shiro giving him a warning look. There were some secrets that Ichigo was going to have to keep.

"I followed Kira," Ichigo said with a shrug, improvising a lie mixed with half-truths. "When I found her, she was fighting with three bullies, and her sister was hurt. I stepped in, and I got the bullies out of there pretty quick. Shiro helped too."

The vagueness of the explanation only made Kira, Mika, and Riku more suspicious, but they could tell that it wasn't something Ichigo particularly felt like discussing.

"I have to go," Ichigo said awkwardly. "My family is probably wondering where I am; I was supposed to visit them earlier."

"See you tomorrow?" Kira asked hopefully. Ichigo glanced back at her and shrugged.

"Probably."

Kira watched her new friend walk out, the slightest of frowns present on her face. She knew Ichigo wasn't a bad guy; he'd defended her and her sister from those three bullies without question, and hadn't done anything to hurt her. Even Shiro had been helpful, supporting Mika on the way over.

That was the only part that Kira remembered. Walking through an empty courtyard as night fell, her arm around Ichigo's shoulder while he led her to the infirmary. She remembered how strong Ichigo had felt, remembered how his muscles had been rock hard under his skin. That confused her. She could understand being thin and lean from growing up in the Rukongai, but Ichigo had taken that to a whole other level. Even Riku wasn't that muscular, and he'd taken every opportunity growing up to get stronger so that he could protect his younger sisters.

As far as Kira knew, Ichigo didn't have any siblings, but he wasn't exactly forthcoming with information on his family. Maybe Kira could ask him when she was more comfortable with him.

"Hey, Riku?"

"What is it, Kira?"

"What do you think of Ichigo and Shiro?"

Kira's brother paused to think. He'd always been straightforward, and wasn't a fan of lying or embellishing the truth.

"They don't seem like bad guys. And they definitely act like brothers."

"And?" Kira could hear the hesitancy in her brother's tone. Riku sighed.

"There's something about them that seems off. I can't place it, but there's something there that makes me feel weird. There's just no word for the feeling."

Kira nodded in understanding.

"I got that feeling too."

"I did too," a small voice said. Kira looked at Mika in surprise. Usually, she didn't speak unless it was absolutely necessary or if she was in trouble.

"Was Shiro mean to you?" Riku questioned seriously, kneeling down in front of Mika. He'd always been extremely protective of her, even more so than Kira, something most people wouldn't think possible.

Mika shook her head mutely, but Riku didn't seem satisfied. Sighing, he leaned back on his heels and rubbed one eye.

"Not to sound ungrateful for what those guys did for you," Riku said to me, "but I can't say that I'm a huge fan. That Shiro guy . . . Last night, I didn't even see him sleep. When he caught me looking, he just smiled at me."

"That doesn't really seem like a ridiculous reaction," Kira pointed out.

"Trust me, it's worse than it sounds," Riku insisted. "There's something wrong with that guy."

"Maybe that's why Ichigo insists on always being near him," Kira mused. "Ichigo probably knows that Shiro creeps out people, and hangs out with him to make sure he doesn't try anything."

"Shiro isn't like that."

"Mika, what are you talking about?" Riku asked, frowning at his little sister.

"Shiro isn't like that," the little dark-haired girl repeated stubbornly. No matter how much prodding Kira or Riku did, however, she refused to say anything else or even explain what she meant.

After giving her sister a worried glance, Kira turned back to her brother, shifting slightly in the comfortable bed the infirmary had provided.

"I don't think you need to worry, Riku. Ichigo seems like a nice guy, and Shiro . . . well, as long as Ichigo's around, I don't think you need to worry about him either. They helped me, remember?"

Riku wasn't reassured by his sister's smile, but he figured that he would come to his own conclusions. He was rooming with Ichigo and Shiro after all. If there was something wrong with the two, Riku was probably going to be the first to find out.

* * *

"God, why do I keep sneezing?" Ichigo complained, frowning after having sneezed for the second time in two minutes. He and Shiro were walking out of the Seireitei, beginning the long walk to the Shiba house.

**"Why would I know?"**

"I was just posing the question to the universe."

**"The universe doesn't care."**

"You're in a great mood."

**"Better than yours."**

"I think that's pretty debatable at this point."

Ichigo wasn't missing how Shiro's answers were getting shorter. Something was bothering the hollow, and Ichigo could feel it, and not in an empathy sense; he could _feel_ the worry that Shiro was feeling, almost like Ichigo was the one worrying, but the feeling was slightly too foreign for that.

"Hey, Shiro?"

**"What?"**

"When you 'balanced' our Reiatsu, what exactly did you do?"

**"I've already told you that I don't know. It was on instinct, so stop asking, King."**

"But I can tell that you've been thinking about it," Ichigo pressed, long since having given up on getting his inner hollow to stop calling him King. "It has something to do with why you were so friendly with Mika, right?"

**"Don't bring that up!"**

"That's a yes. I've been thinking about it too, and I think I've got an answer."

**"Congratulations," **Shiro spat, scowling. Ichigo continued, not caring how annoyed his hollow was getting, even though Ichigo could feel himself getting annoyed in turn.

"When you 'balanced' everything, your eye changed. So did mine; it's like they switched. So you got the 'piece' of me that you usually have from being a part of my soul, while I got the 'piece' of you that I usually got from you being in my soul. That's why the Reiatsu balanced out."

**"So?"**

"But that transferred more than Reiryoku and Reiatsu. I got the piece of you; you got the piece of me. On top of whatever the Hōgyoku did to you, you're also part me, if that makes sense."

**"But that means that you're part me. And for the record that's not that hard to figure out."**

Despite how irritated Shiro's tone was, the hollow was at least slightly interested in what Ichigo was saying.

"Which means," Ichigo continued, "that I'm acting more like you, and you're acting more like me."

**"That's just stupid."**

"Really? Because it makes sense. What I did last night-" Ichigo paused to take a breath and clenched his hands into fists before forcibly relaxing them – "What I did last night was impulsive, stupid, and cruel." This time, Ichigo stopped walking altogether, his visible eye closing. "I can still hear them screaming."

Shiro smirked.

**"You enjoyed it."**

"No!" Ichigo snapped, fury crossing his face. "There's no way I would _ever_ enjoy doing something like that!"

**"But you did. I could feel it, King, or are you forgetting that? You enjoyed every second, and you want to do it again."**

"That's not true! I would never do something like that twice, no matter what." The last three words were delivered coldly, as if Ichigo was almost daring the universe to try and come up with a situation where Ichigo would go back on what he said. Luckily, the universe didn't seem to be paying attention.

Shiro just grinned, communicating more in that simple expression than he could have in any number of words.

Ichigo took a deep breath, forcing down the frustration that had built within him during the conversation. He refused to believe what Shiro was saying; no matter what, Ichigo was not the kind of person who would happily hurt others simply for the rush that it gave him. His hollow, on the other hand, most definitely would.

_And now I'm acting more like my hollow._

Ichigo scowled even more than he had been, ignoring a snicker from Shiro, and began walking towards the Shiba house again.

_I just have to be more careful, keep my temper in check. If I pay attention, I should be able to control myself until Renji, Rukia, and the others can figure out a way to fix Shiro and I. And it would be best if I didn't tell anyone; Rukia would just worry, and I'd lose my bet with Renji 'cause they'd probably pull me out of the Academy. As far as anyone else knows, Shiro and I just have really unstable Reiatsu right now._

Feeling slightly more confident, Ichigo's stride lengthened and the dark cloud that had been hanging over him lifted slightly, though it was still more than enough to deter anyone in the Rukongai from messing with the orange-haired Shinigami.

* * *

"Why the HELL did it take you so long to get here?! And where's your escort?!"

"Kūkaku, I can explain!"

**"No, you can't."**

"Shut up, Shiro!"

"I want an explanation, Kurosaki!"

"Uh – there was an, um, old lady . . .? And, um, she needed help crossing the – OW!"

Ichigo fell to the floor, clutching his head. Kūkaku shook out her good fist, glaring at the boy in front of her.

"If you're going to have an excuse," she growled, "at least make it believable!"

"Noted," Ichigo groaned as he struggled into a sitting position. The leader of the Shiba clan's punches were formidable, even with Ichigo's natural resiliency. Shiro was still standing by the door, unwilling to get any closer to Kūkaku. Even the hollow was smart enough to avoid a fight that he couldn't win.

Renji and Rukia were sitting on either side of Ichigo, both trying to smother their laughter and doing a terrible job. Kūkaku glared at Ichigo, but her expression abruptly softened.

"So what do you think of the academy?" She asked, apparently willing to let Ichigo's lack of escort slide just this once, despite head captain Yamamoto's orders.

"The school program hasn't really started yet – " Ichigo started, but he was forced to stop in order to prevent himself from getting hit by another punch from Kūkaku.

"Dumbass! I already know that! That's not what I'm asking!"

"Okay, okay! It's, um . . . it's . . . weird."

"You get to attend the Shin'ō Academy," Rukia asked, "and the only thing you can call it is 'weird'?"

"To be fair," Ichigo snapped, "I'm attending it only because of a stupid bet!"

"That you're going to lose," Renji snickered.

"I am not!"

"You are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

Both were silenced when they realized that Kūkaku was giving them a dark look. Somehow, Kūkaku managed to be even more intimidating than Captain Unohana; Ichigo guessed that it was because the head of the Shiba clan was perfectly willing to beat the crap out of anyone that crossed her, while Unohana made silent promises of what was to come. _Actually_, Ichigo amended, _both of them are terrifying._

"Ichigo, have you met anyone yet?" Kūkaku asked. Ichigo reddened.

"What do you mean by that?"

"She means have you made friends," Rukia said sarcastically, giving Ichigo a sideways look. "With that scowl on your face, however, I'll be surprised if anyone wanted to be in the same room as you."

"That's harsh," Ichigo muttered. "And, as a matter of fact, I _did_ make friends."

He tried to ignore the exaggerated double take that Renji and Rukia did. Kūkaku, on the other hand, was smiling proudly.

"I _knew_ it!" She declared, putting Ichigo in a headlock before he could avoid it. "The Shiba clan has _always_ been great at making friends in new situations, and you're practically adopted at this point!"

"You're . . . choking . . . me . . ."

Kūkaku let Ichigo out of the hold, and the boy started coughing, trying to recover.

"So, what're their names?" Rukia asked. "Are they related to anyone we know? Are they in a noble family?"

Ichigo shook his head, recovering his breath. "No. They're from the Rukongai."

"Are they strong?" Renji queried, a spark of interest in his voice. Rolling his eyes, Ichigo shook his head again.

"As far as I can tell, the oldest brother, Riku, is the strongest. Next is Kira, the middle sister, and then there's Mika. She's the youngest sister, and she doesn't seem strong at all. Of course, Kira's in the infirmary right now with a bad concussion."

"But they're all strong enough to qualify for the academy," Rukia pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess. Kira's got really weird hair color, too."

Renji snorted. "You're one to talk. If I didn't know you, I'd think that your head was on fire."

"Shut up!"

"Well, it's true!"

"Ichigo," Kūkaku suddenly said, interrupting the argument before it escalated. "I heard rumors that three academy students were severely injured last night. They admitted to attacking a younger student." Ichigo went pale. "Her name was Mika."

"Uh, yeah. I wasn't there –"

"You just said," Kūkaku continued, "that Mika isn't the strongest of the three, and her sister was also injured badly. Her brother hadn't been there at the time."

It didn't seem possible, but Ichigo's face went even whiter. In the background, Shiro snickered, a fact that no one in the room missed.

**"You're in trouble now, King."**

"Now would be a great time to keep your mouth shut, Shiro," Ichigo growled.

"Well, Ichigo?" Kūkaku prodded. "What's your explanation?"

Ichigo glanced between the concerned looks of Rukia, Renji, and Kūkaku and sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Okay, before you guys freak out on me, I had a reason."

"For the record," Renji interrupted, "getting kicked out of the Shin'ō Academy counts as losing the bet."

"I guessed that much. Anyway, Kira had asked me to meet her somewhere yesterday morning, so Shiro and I went. When Mika didn't show up, Kira got nervous and ran off. I followed, and found her in an alleyway. There were three bullies there, and they were hurting both Kira and her sister." Ichigo's voice became even angrier. "If I hadn't shown up, I can guess what they would've done to them. I took the guys to the infirmary afterwards and waited until Kira was awake to take her and her sister so that she didn't have to be seen."

There was an uncomfortable silence permeating the room, making Ichigo feel like he'd done something wrong. He knew that he'd taken the punishment to an extreme, but he hadn't been able to stop himself until it was too late.

But he hadn't permanently injured or killed anyone. Thanks to the healers in the Fourth Division, everyone would be back to full health before classes began.

Suddenly, Ichigo found Kūkaku holding out her fist, and it wasn't because she felt like punching Ichigo into next week. Somewhat hesitantly, Ichigo fist bumped her.

"Come on, Kurosaki," Kūkaku taunted. "I know you can do better than that."

She held out her fist again, and this time Ichigo hit it with more force. Kūkaku smiled.

"See? Not a problem for you."

"I – I don't understand. Aren't you angry at me?" Ichigo appealed to Renji and Rukia. "I mean, didn't I do something wrong?"

"Those jerks got what they deserved," Renji spat. "Preying on helpless girls . . . they should be expelled from the academy!"

"They will be," Rukia said with certainty. "No teacher there would allow that kind of behavior, even before official classes. Once those boys are released from the infirmary, they will not be welcome back at the school."

"What about me?" Ichigo asked, still concerned. "Since I – "

"Whoa, Ichigo," Renji cut in, a small grin on his face. "As far as we know, you weren't there, right? You weren't the one who attacked those boys so viciously. You just happened to find those girls and help them to the infirmary."

Understanding hit Ichigo, and a tide of relief swept over him.

"Thanks, Renji."

Instantly, the Shinigami scowled.

"Don't count on me doing you too many favors. I want to see you lose this bet, but I want you to at least start classes."

"Me too," Rukia added. "You're going to _love_ the schedule we picked for you."

Ichigo snorted. "I'm sure. Speaking of which, I'm pretty sure that schedules came out today."

"They did," Kūkaku stated. "But you're staying for lunch dinner. Ganju said he wanted to try a special new recipe for both."

"Oh, uh, my captain said he wanted my help with some paperwork today," Renji stuttered, standing. "I need to go. Rukia, don't you have work to do as well?"

"Yes, I do. Thanks for reminding me, Renji."

"Traitors," Ichigo muttered as his friends abandoned him.

**"Don't look so down. I'm still here."**

"That doesn't help anything!"

**"Screw you. I'm fantastic company."**

"No, you're really not."

Shiro scowled and then began to sulk, something Ichigo hadn't been expecting. Who knew that hollows could sulk?

"Now, Ichigo," Kūkaku said, a malicious glint to her eyes, "you're going to teach Ganju a thing or two about fighting afterwards, right?"

Ichigo got the distinct impression that he didn't have a choice, and he braced himself for a difficult day ahead.

* * *

_Quick shoutout to Krazyfanfiction1, Brayan Mariachi (earlier), and Mickeys Swaggmuffins (earlier), for reviewing multiple __times! I would include "Guest" in that, but I have no idea if it's the same person or not . . . Kind of the point of the whole anonymous thing, I guess._

_Anyway, this was more of a filler chapter than anything, but we did get a nice explanation on why Ichigo was slightly harsher than usual when it came to those two boys, and we got somewhere in explaining why Ichigo's inner hollow isn't really acting like Ichigo's inner hollow._

_I've been stuck on chapter 17 for around two weeks now, but don't worry, I'm pushing past it. If I ever need to stop uploading for some reason, I'll find a way to let you guys know so that you don't feel abandoned._

_-RoR_

_Coming up: Ichigo's first day of classes . . . plot twist with the schedule, and not-quite-eternal tag._

_Please review._


	14. Chapter 14

**_There is actually some important stuff in this A/N so please read._**

_This is one of my longer chapters, but I figure that since I won't be uploading next Wednesday due to conflicts with scheduling, it should tide you guys over. Also, I've decided to start responding to reviews, so that'll be in the bottom A/N._

_I just feel like mentioning this: I don't do the honorifics, like Kuchiki-taicho, because I simply have no real grasp on them. I don't want to experiment with anything that I'm not familiar with._

_Also, I like switching between the English and Japanese words for things (Reiatsu, spiritual pressure; Reiryoku, spirit energy) to add some variety. If it's confusing or I use them incorrectly, I apologize. As for any Japanese customs, I'm winging it, so if any of you have any information that I could use for common eating habits/common food, as well as casual dress and general culture I would appreciate it. And if any of you have a good grip on Japanese and want to help me with the naming of a certain Zanpakutō (because I want to be sure I get it right), I would appreciate it. Please PM me if you can help!_

_Until the end of the chapter, enjoy Ichigo suffering through his first day at the Academy._

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

* * *

Chapter 14

It was the first day of classes, and Ichigo just _had_ to wake up with someone yanking his thin mattress out from under him. Of _course_ Ichigo didn't get to sleep on a futon because his bed was a bunk bed, and of _course _Shiro was taking full advantage of that fact, probably getting revenge for not getting the bottom bunk. _As if training with Ganju a few days prior hadn't been bad enough_, Ichigo thought sourly.

"SHIRO!" Ichigo shouted, fighting to get rid of the sleep that lingered in his mind. Distantly, he could hear the hollow snickering, but Shiro was smart enough to stay out of Ichigo's reach. He'd been more energetic lately, perfectly willing to annoy Ichigo past the point of reason and then fight him when Ichigo tried to retaliate. Needless to say, it hadn't made Ichigo's life any easier. At least the substitute Shinigami had gotten a hold on his anger; otherwise, he knew, the destruction caused by his few fights with Shiro would be much worse.

"Can you guys be quiet?" Riku mumbled sleepily from his bed. The poor guy had been dealing with Ichigo and Shiro's antics for a few days, and usually he was able to sleep through the usual morning comedy routine, but not today.

"Riku," Ichigo snapped, his patience thinned by his rude awakening, "we've got our first classes today!"

"Wha-? Oh, crap!"

Riku tumbled out of his bed, waking up fully when his body thudded against the floor.

**"You two are so stupid," **Shiro drawled from his position on the wall. Ichigo glared up at him.

"I would have much better mornings if you weren't the one waking me up," he retorted, getting to his feet.

As Ichigo and Riku got ready for classes, Riku wondered about the boy with orange hair who was rooming with him. At times, he was so serious that even Riku didn't want to talk to him. Other times, Ichigo would yell at Shiro like any other person on the street. It was strange how quickly Ichigo's personality would change, usually depending entirely on who Ichigo was talking to.

Riku wondered what Ichigo was like when he was really angry. Then he decided that he didn't want to know. Hearing about what had happened to those three bullies was proof enough that Ichigo was extremely dangerous.

"Ready?" Ichigo asked, interrupting Riku's thoughts while standing by the door. "We've got the same schedule, so we can meet your sister in our first class."

"What was that again?" Riku asked, yawning.

"It was called like 'Advanced Teachings' or something," Ichigo replied, dragging Shiro out of the room as Riku followed. "It's in the main building, so we should hurry."

* * *

The Advanced Teachings class was held in a large room in the main building of the Shin'ō Academy. There were sixteen people in the class, including Ichigo, Kira, and Riku. Kira arrived a minute or two after Ichigo, having escorted Mika to her classroom before coming.

"Not many people," Ichigo commented dryly, looking around.

"With all the fighting and conflict recently," Kira responded, "most of the people with higher spirit energy were killed or aren't willing to come to the Academy."

"Oh."

Ichigo found a seat towards the back of the room, with Kira sitting to his right and Riku to his left. Shiro sat behind Ichigo, an expression on sheer boredom on his face in place of the usual smirk.

The entire room was abuzz with conversation; however, no one seemed overly willing to walk over to Ichigo, since he had one of his famous scowls plastered across his features.

A shrill tone rang through the building, startling any students who hadn't been prepared for it. Instantly, everyone was standing at his or her seat. The teacher walked into the room, and Ichigo recognized him as the man who had quizzed him on the Soul Society during the entrance exam. He wasn't all that tall – he probably went up to Ichigo's shoulder – and the glasses that perched on his face gave the impression that they were desperately trying to escape from him. To top it off, the man breathed, walked, and talked like he was trying to bore the students to death.

_There's one in every school_, Ichigo thought ruefully. _At least I can get Rukia to give me a crash course on anything I don't understand._

"Hello, students," the teacher began, "and welcome to Advanced Teachings. You are in this class because you have demonstrated adequate knowledge that puts you above the Regular Teachings class."

**"Congratulations," **Shiro muttered, too quietly to be heard by anyone but Ichigo.

"My name is Professor Kobayashi, and I will be your teacher for the year. In this class, you will learn the origins of the Gotei 13, the definitions and applications of the four main Shinigami combat forms, the origins of Hollows, as well as other topics that will be brought up throughout the curriculum."

Ichigo, glancing to his right and left, saw that Kira and Riku looked interested in what the teacher was saying. On the other hand, Ichigo felt like yawning. He already knew what the teacher was talking about; if he hadn't learned it from Rukia, he'd picked it up at some point during his adventures.

Mr. Kobayashi went on, but Ichigo had long since tuned him out. Shiro was even worse; if Ichigo didn't know that he was faking, Ichigo would've thought that Shiro was asleep.

The class passed by quickly, which was lucky or Ichigo was going to fall asleep himself. The teacher didn't seem like a bad guy; he just wasn't _interesting_. What he taught could be cool, but the way he discussed it was so flat.

By the end of it, Ichigo was struggling to keep his eyes open. When the bell rang to signal the final minute, Ichigo didn't even react. Unfortunately for him, Shiro did, and proceeded to hit the person sitting in front of him.

"Ow, hey!" Ichigo protested, holding his head and glaring at Shiro. "What was that for?"

**"You weren't paying attention," **Shiro replied smugly. **"Anyway, can we leave? This class is boring."**

"Wow, you're harsh," Kira commented, standing. "I thought it was pretty interesting. I had no idea that Zanpakutō were actually pieces of someone's soul."

"I hope he goes into more detail on that," Riku added. Ichigo barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes – even though only his left eye was visible to other people.

"Let's just go to whatever the next class is," Ichigo muttered, walking out the door. Shiro, Riku, and Kira followed with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

_I guess I was lucky_, Ichigo thought as he walked. _I was sure that Rukia and Renji were going to give me this impossible schedule to make this harder, but all I got was the advanced combat classes, Advanced Teachings, and an extra Zanjutsu mediation course. Seems like it's a pretty standard schedule, because Kira and Riku got the same thing. They were probably just trying to make me nervous by acting like it was a big deal._

**"Can I go back to the room?"** Shiro asked.

"No," Ichigo answered sharply. "We're sticking together, got it? And that means you have to endure this the same thing as me."

**"Great." **Sarcasm dripped from the single syllable, but Ichigo ignored it.

Ichigo's next class was the one he feared the most: Advanced Kidō. Sure, Ichigo had managed not to blow anything up during his entrance exam, but he was well aware that his skill with Kidō was barely better than that of a hamster's. It was a fact that Rukia, Renji, and even Zangetsu had made known to him time and time again, and now Ichigo was paying for his lack of practice. The fact that Ichigo's Reiatsu and Rieryoku were haywire was not helping anything either.

It didn't matter that Ichigo was perfectly adept at breaking Kidō, as he demonstrated in his fight with Aizen. The problem was that Ichigo himself relied heavily on Zanjutsu, mimicking the fighting style of the Eleventh Division. However, Ichigo got the feeling that Rukia and Renji had picked advanced Kidō specifically so that Ichigo could stop failing quite so miserably at using Kidō during battles. Otherwise, Ichigo would've been in the regular class.

It was a bit of a walk to get to the Kidō building. There was a large training field next to it, reminiscent of the one that Ichigo had met Kira in a week previously.

Ichigo, Riku, Shiro, and Kira followed the crowd of students into the small building by the training field. It turned out to be a classroom much like the one for Advanced Teachings, except slightly larger. Ichigo, experienced in the ways of teacher-induced torture, did not miss the giant stack of deceptively heavy textbooks against the back wall. He had a feeling that he would be getting more than acquainted with the pages of those books in the coming weeks.

"Everyone here has the same schedule," Ichigo deadpanned, recognizing each person from his previous class.

_Dammit. Rukia and Renji were playing mind games with me, and I let it get to me. _For a moment, Ichigo's expression became clouded, until he reached a decision. _I'll find some way to get back at them._

Shiro, watching Ichigo closely, could guess where his train of thought was going.

_If he's doing anything_, Shiro decided, _I'm doing it too, especially if I can cut loose a bit. _

For the briefest of seconds, Shiro felt the insane desire to call his sword as a tide of unidentifiable emotion rose up from his core. He wanted to fight Ichigo again, not because he wanted dominance, but because it was _fun_. Hell, he would even go after that captain of the Eleventh Division. What was his name? Zaraki?

Ichigo didn't notice the way Shiro was smirking, and was probably better off for it. Either way, Shiro's brief flash of bloodlust abruptly vanished, taking (some of) Shiro's violent thoughts with it.

Mimicking his actions in the previous class, Ichigo found a seat near the back of the classroom and claimed it as his own. His friends and inner hollow assembled in the same way they had previously, though this time Shiro actually seemed to have fallen asleep seconds after he sat down.

"Should we . . . wake him up?" Kira asked. In all honesty, she really wanted to see how much it would take to get a rise out of Ichigo's twin brother. He seemed like the exact opposite of Ichigo; always smirking and exuding a more than ample sadistic aura. All of those factors would usually deter someone from messing with Shiro, but Kira was determined. After all, Riku had learned how to ignore her taunting years beforehand, and the thought of teasing Mika had never even begun to form in Kira's mind. Therefore, she needed a target.

Shiro and Ichigo happened to be interchangeable in the "target" category. Their friendship – though mostly Ichigo's – with Kira, Riku, and, to some extent, Mika had developed over the few days before classes officially began, with the high point being when Kira was let out of the infirmary. Immediately, Ichigo had insisted on taking her out to the Zanjutsu training fields so that they could finish their picnic.

Riku, for some reason, had insisted on coming as well. Shiro had tagged along because, as he said, "I have no choice". That confused Kira, but she didn't dwell too much on the matter.

"No, no," a new voice drawled. "By all means, let's let him sleep."

Everyone in the classroom save Shiro snapped to attention as they saw the new occupant of the room. Ichigo, of course, recognized her instantly, due to her extremely noticeable hair color.

_She has to be the Kidō instructor from my entrance exam,_ Ichigo thought, staring at the woman.

She was slender and lean, with her most distinctive features being her deep brown eyes and shockingly pink hair, braided down to her waist on her back.

_. . . And why am I suddenly thinking about Yachiru? _Ichigo wondered.

He desperately wanted to wake up Shiro, but it was far too late now. The teacher had already seen him sleeping, and even though it had been before the class had started Ichigo had no doubt that this instructor was not the type to appreciate students dozing off during her class at any time, no matter the circumstances. The fact that it was the first day was not going to grant Shiro any leeway.

"For those of you that appear conscious," the pink-haired woman continued, a small smile pulling at her lips, "I am the Kidō instructor, Professor Tsukino. Welcome to Advanced Kidō." Her gaze shifted to the sleeping boy in front of her, and then at Ichigo. Seeing the shocking resemblance – minus the coloring – Professor Tsukino came to the conclusion that the two were twin brothers.

Only then did her memories of the entrance exam remind her that she was looking at _that boy_. The one who had remarkable spiritual pressure, and had nearly torn the arms off a statue when other students struggled to even make the dummy move at all. While he hadn't been stellar in that one demonstration, he was clearly familiar with Kidō. The question was whether he tried too hard in his spells or he had an inordinate amount of spiritual energy, something that the teacher wanted to test.

She knew that testing Shiro was off limits; the instructor clearly remembered that much from the meeting. Captain Yamamoto himself had made it abundantly obvious that needling the white-skinned boy would end extremely badly for anyone and everyone involved.

However, Professor Tsukino was not one to back away from a challenge. She may not have been the strongest of the advanced teachers, but she by far made up for it with her intellect.

And she knew that she would be able to tell when it was the right time to stop going after the strangely colored double of Ichigo.

The fact that Ichigo had been the one to defeat Aizen had not registered with Tsukino; at the time, she had been in a remote section of the Rukongai, providing food and short defense classes to younger girls in need. She knew that Ichigo was something special, and that him coming to the Academy was not because it was a necessary action. However, the woman was not about to let the opportunity to explore the potential of a student who seemed to possess innate Reiatsu greater than her own pass her by.

The entire scheme of thoughts had passed through Professor Tsukino's mind in less than three seconds, giving her students time to take in the information she had provided. The boy – Shiro – still had not stirred, and appeared to be sound asleep.

Briefly, Professor Tsukino toyed with the idea of using low-level Bakudō to teach the boy a lesson, but dismissed the notion. It would only alienate the boy, and the students would come to fear their Kidō instructor through other means.

Instead, the pink-haired instructor pulled back her hand and brought it forward, fully intending to whack the sleeping boy on the back of the head for daring to fall asleep so quickly and then refuse to wake up despite the noise around him.

She was quite surprised when a white hand caught her wrist and held fast, stopping her hand from coming within a hair's breadth of the boy's head.

**"Lady," **he said quietly, his double tones not bothering the forewarned instructor, **"if I were you, I would just let me sleep."**

It wasn't that Shiro wasn't interested in learning; it was that he simply had more pressing things to worry about at the moment. Shiro could feel the way his spirit energy was even darker than normal, and if he did something rash during the class it would end badly. He could feel Ichigo's glare like a physical force, and restrained himself from making a sarcastic comment.

Either way, when he let go of the instructor's wrist – without ever having looked up or seemingly moved beyond that first motion – Professor Tsukino did not make another move to retaliate. However, she did hiss something into Shiro's ear.

"I don't care what they said at that briefing," she growled dangerously, using the angle of her body to disguise her actions from the other students, "and I don't give a crap that you're special. You're staying awake for my class, got it?"

**"Whatever."**

Professor Tsukino, satisfied with that answer, withdrew from Shiro's personal space and walked to the front of the classroom. Ichigo, watching the exchange, had his eyes narrowed. A minute previously, he had sensed a surge of _something_ from Shiro, and that _something_ had made Ichigo's right eye burn slightly, reminding Ichigo of that incident in the cell after Ichigo lost control. Luckily, that moment had passed, or Ichigo would've had to give some lame excuse to his Kidō instructor while he dragged Shiro out the door.

Ichigo was very good at giving lame excuses. He excelled at it, in fact.

"Shiro," Ichigo said, "if you try to pull something like that again . . ." He left the threat hanging, not willing to voice the second half out loud inside the Academy. Faintly, he heard Shiro snicker.

**"You need to lighten up, King."**

Ichigo took that to mean that Shiro wasn't about to pull something like that again, and he took some comfort in that. Ichigo was going to struggle enough with Kidō already, and having to deal with Shiro at the same time would've been too much.

"Listen up!" Professor Tsukino called from the front of the classroom as the students took their seats. "This class will require the use of a textbook!" The hard look to her eyes discouraged any complaining noises. "However, you are permitted to keep it in this classroom. Should you have need of it outside regular class time, please meet with me before or after class to do so. Is that clear?"

There were various noises of assent from around the classroom, causing Professor Tsukino to close her eyes, her slight smile thinning.

"I said, _is. That. Clear?"_

"YES MA'AM!"

"Good!" Her usual expression returned: calm, but with hints of amusement.

Professor Tsukino, the youngest of the teachers at the Academy, was used to having to assert her authority. At slightly under average height, with a deceptively delicate build and an innocent face speckled with freckles, she struggled to maintain authority with other teachers.

Luckily, after demonstrating that she was more than capable of putting the other teachers in tight spots using her skill with Kidō, Tsukino was given considerably more respect. Not unexpectedly, the professor had a large amount of respect for the captain of the Fourth Division, Captain Unohana.

"Here's how this is going to work," the female professor continued, eyeing anyone in the class brave enough to make eye contact. Unsurprisingly, one of those people was that Kurosaki Ichigo kid, as well as the two people seated on either side of him.

_Interesting_, the instructor thought, but she pushed any musings she had to the back of her mind in favor of actually getting the rehearsed first-day speeches over with.

"This class has two parts: memorization and utilization! We will start with memorizing the chants for low-level spells, but for today I will simply be going over the uses of Kidō. Once I have deemed the class ready, we will move to the training fields, where we will practice going through the motions. If I deem any of you skilled enough, you can begin practicing your Kidō on dummies or targets that are set up there. However," she added, a note of warning seeping into her tone, "if any of you do so without my permission, you will not be allowed back in my classroom without a handwritten recommendation from each of the captains of the Gotei Thirteen. Do I make myself clear?"

This time, the class voiced its agreement without having to be urged a second time.

Ichigo tried to pay attention, he really did.

Shiro, unfortunately, had decided to be as much of a pain as possible, and Ichigo was the only one who could deal with that. Therefore, he was forced to mostly tune out of Professor Tsukino's first-day speech in order to deal with Shiro's antics.

In this regard, Ichigo was lucky. What the professor was saying was actually of little consequence to the class, and the information her speech contained was completely shallow in comparison to the depths of knowledge that Ichigo contained.

By the end of the class, Ichigo was thoroughly annoyed, Shiro was thoroughly amused, and Riku and Kira were thoroughly engrossed in the idea of learning Kidō.

"Ichigo, isn't this awesome?" Kira asked, grinning and imagining herself firing off a powerful Kidō spell. She knew that she had a long ways to go before she would be able to do that, but one could dream.

"Yeah," Ichigo replied distractedly, eyeing Shiro as the group walked to their next class. Kira glared at him.

"Did you even hear what I said?"

"Yeah, you wanted me to answer whether I thought this is awesome or not," Ichigo answered coolly, grabbing Shiro's wrist before the hollow could "liberate" a small amount of money from a careless student's pocket. Shiro frowned at Ichigo, but a glare sent by the latter convinced Shiro that further screwing around was a bad idea, even though it was fun to piss off the king in a place where he couldn't really do anything about it without blowing his cover.

Kira resisted the childish urge to pout – something she usually only did to Riku, which she knew he hated – and instead harrumphed and turned away from the orange-haired student next to her.

"So . . ." Riku started, aware that he should break the silence but not really knowing how to go about doing that. "Is anyone here good at Hohō?"

He missed the wide smile that passed across Shiro's face, followed closely by the icy glare from Ichigo.

Ichigo, realizing that Riku was expecting an answer, made a noncommittal noise that was quickly echoed by his twin. Kira merely raised an eyebrow. She had grown up with Riku; if he needed to ask, then he deserved not to know.

The fact of the matter was that Kira was, on some base level, skilled at Hohō. She wouldn't hold her own against even an unseated officer, but she had the foundation for great skill in the technique. Her brother, on the other hand, was most likely doomed to being mediocre at best during his time at the academy. Most likely, he would seek out further help from outside sources at some point.

Ichigo, having been trained by the Goddess of Flash herself, was in no doubt as to his abilities.

_I guess I'll have to tone myself down again, _he mused, still keeping an eye on Shiro. _And I'll have to tell Shiro to stop trying to pickpocket students. It's not like we even need any money._

Ichigo spent a minute wondering how he was going to explain to Kūkaku that he didn't want her money anymore, and then decided to cross that bridge when he came to it. He knew he might regret it, but at the moment he had bigger things to worry about.

_At least Kidō wasn't too bad, though I shouldn't say that because today was only the first day. Knowing that teacher, that class is going to be a pain. And that teacher seems really observant, which could be a problem for Shiro if no one else says anything. Which reminds me, what am I going to do when the news of who defeated Aizen reaches this place? I'm not dyeing my hair, and the Shinigami Women's Association seems dead set on not letting me cut my hair . . ._

None of Ichigo's thoughts were present on his face. In fact, he had his typical scowl set in place, and his exposed eye was seemingly darker than normal, though that may have simply been the impression that Ichigo's constantly bored/annoyed aura pressed onto people. Those two factors alone were enough to deter most conversationalists.

Most.

"Ichigo!" Kira suddenly shouted, startling the boy. Ichigo, to his credit, only reacted through a flicker in his visible eye, but it was clear that he was annoyed when he spoke.

"What?" He asked, irritated and not missing the smirk that Shiro was aiming his way.

"Nothing. I just wanted to check if you were paying . . . attention . . ."

Kira's voice trailed away at the glare she was receiving from her friend. If she hadn't seen him direct worse expressions at his twin brother, Kira probably would've folded then and there, but to her credit she withstood the nonverbal onslaught for a good four seconds before turning away.

**"Harsh," **Shiro commented wryly.

"Shut up," Ichigo replied darkly, his earlier thoughts having dragged down his mood.

Somehow, Kira, Riku, Ichigo, and Shiro were not late to their next class, despite numerous attempts on Shiro's part to distract the group. Ichigo, who had no qualms about injuring his inner hollow, had quickly dealt each of those attempts without mercy to Shiro. Now the hollow sported a bloody lip and a scowl that matched Ichigo's, but at least he was more subdued.

The first thing that Ichigo noticed upon getting to where his next class was supposed to be was that there was quite literally no classroom for Hohō. He knew that he was in the right place; the crowd of now-familiar faces told Ichigo that there was no other location for the class to be.

Instead of the buildings that the previous two classes had been held in, Hohō appeared to be taught in an open field, with various natural-looking obstacles set up around the field. However, the obstacles were just barely too common to be considered entirely natural.

_I get the distinct feeling_, Ichigo thought as he looked around, _that this class is going to be held outside even when it rains._

An idea formed in the back of Ichigo's mind on how to deal with that, but he pushed it to the side for now. He could deal with those things at a later date.

Seeing a convenient tree, Ichigo sat down and leaned his back against the trunk, taking comfort in the shade that the tree's leaves offered. If the teacher was going to take his time arriving, so be it.

It didn't take long for Ichigo to hear Shiro copying his actions while Riku and Kira seemed to be having some sort of discussion that Ichigo didn't particularly feel like eavesdropping on. The cool breeze that drifted over the Hohō training field felt good on Ichigo's face, and he took the few moments of peace he had to relax just the tiniest bit.

Despite that, Ichigo continued to look just as bitter as he had when he was walking through the halls on the outside, once more successfully deterring any who worked up the courage to look at him for more than a few seconds at a time.

Distantly, the assembled students could hear the bell ringing, and more than a few of them seemed confused when the teacher still hadn't arrived. Ichigo could guess what the teacher was about to do; if he taught Hohō, there was a good chance he was going to demonstrate it on the first day, much as the Kidō teacher had wanted to do to Shiro. Ichigo hadn't missed Professor Tsukino's assessing glare of his inner hollow earlier and had come to the conclusion that she really wanted to see what would happen if she put Shiro in some sort of Kidō. Luckily, she hadn't.

Ichigo soon sensed a foreign spiritual pressure approaching rapidly.

_He's using Shunpo, and he's definitely fast, _Ichigo mused, cracking his eyes open. _Not as fast as Yoruichi, and I could probably hold my own against him even without my bankai._

None of the other students seemed to have sensed the approaching teacher save one. Ichigo's eyes narrowed fractionally as he studied the one student who had turned in the direction that the teacher was coming from.

He was shorter than Ichigo, though not by much, with black hair and brown eyes. The way he held himself led Ichigo to believe that he was from a noble family, but he didn't know which one. Either way, he had some talent in sensing Reiatsu, so Ichigo would need to be careful around him.

"Shiro," Ichigo muttered, glancing at the boy next to him.

**"Stop worrying so much. I'm not blind."**

Ichigo took that to mean that Shiro had seen the other boy and knew to be cautious around him. With Shiro's hollow Reiatsu – which was currently suppressed to the point where it was undetectable – Shiro would need to be careful around teachers and students alike.

The teacher of the Hohō class arrived in a rush of Shunpo, startling more than a few of the students in attendance. He had approached silently, demonstrating his obvious skill in the technique. Instantly, Ichigo recognized him from his entrance exam, and then he mentally groaned.

_I was tested by the teachers I was going to have anyway_, he realized, not letting any of his thoughts show on his face. _I bet Rukia planned that. _

"Hello!" The teacher declared, instantly gaining the notice of any student that had been distracted enough not to realize that the teacher had arrived. "If you have not figured it out yet, this is the Advanced Hohō course! My name is Professor Himora, and I am the teacher of this class!"

He paused, allowing the students to move to sit cross-legged on the ground in front of him, eyes wide with interest.

_My second year using that introduction_, Professor Himora thought smugly, _and it works just as well._

Ichigo remained in his spot up against the tree because it was already close to the teacher's position, and he didn't want to have to get up. Riku and Kira, on the other hand, sat closer to the teacher, mimicking the actions of the other students.

"In this course you will learn about the movement technique employed by all Shinigami: Hohō! It is one of the greatest assets in battle and-"

The teacher abruptly vanished, eliciting shocked gasps from the students. Ichigo refrained from rolling his eyes, able to follow the teacher's movement with ease as he flash-stepped behind the students.

"-one of the best ways to get anywhere quickly!"

**"You're going to have a great time in this class, King," **Shiro commented sarcastically.

"And you aren't?" Ichigo retorted.

**"I don't use Shunpo, idiot. I use Sonido." **Shiro paused, thinking. **"Though I can probably use Shunpo if I wanted to."**

"Then you're participating in the class," Ichigo growled. Shiro grinned.

**"I thought I wasn't allowed to do that."**

"This isn't a combat class, not really, so you're participating."

Shiro, surprisingly enough, didn't seem to be too bothered by that. Ichigo decided not to dwell on that fact and instead tried to focus on what Professor Himora was saying.

"-nd, in order to demonstrate your innate abilities with Hohō, we are going to play a simple game, since it is the first day."

Excited muttering broke out between students, but it only lasted for a second since the teacher began speaking again.

"We are going to play . . . tag."

_Tag? _Ichigo thought, scowling.

_Seriously?_ Shiro wondered, his expression subconsciously matching Ichigo's.

Riku and Kira looked excited, though Kira seemed to be considerably more so than her brother.

"The rules of the game are simple," Professor Himora continued, enjoying the excited expressions of the people in front of him. "I will start with one person as 'it'. Should you be tagged by that person, then you are also 'it', and you need to tag others who have not been tagged yet, until everyone has been tagged. As I'm sure you have guessed, the last person to be tagged is the winner."

Professor Himora's gaze soon landed on a particular orange-haired student. He remembered that student from the entrance exams, and he remembered wanting to know how fast he could go.

_Most likely_, the teacher thought, _he will hold himself back. I will meet with him after class and discuss that, then. If he is late to his next class, I will personally excuse his tardiness._

Of course, the professor was aware that the white-haired boy was likely just as fast as his orange haired counterpart. Knowing that, the instructor remembered being told that the orange-haired twin was the one who was supposed to be taught. The other was simply there because the brothers should not be separated.

One student raised his hand hesitantly.

"Yes?" Professor Himora asked, a smile crossing his face.

"When do we start?"

Ichigo frowned when he saw the teacher's smile widen, and immediately he got to hit feet, Shiro following suit.

"Now," Professor Himora stated, his smile widening. "And you're 'it'."

The professor was gone in a burst of Shunpo, appearing a fair distance away to watch how the game went. Ichigo knew there would be no cheating.

He simply watched as pandemonium erupted from the group of students that had been drawn to the Professor at his sudden appearance. Mentally, Ichigo complemented the teacher; Himora had never stated that the students should come closer, and now various people were paying the price for following the crowd.

The boy that had been classified as 'it' had already managed to get two other people before the rest of the students scrambled away in a desperate attempt to not get tagged. Ichigo's eyes narrowed fractionally when he saw a few of the students use a precursor to true Hohō; they merely used a fraction of their Reiatsu – most likely subconsciously – to boost the distance that they travelled with each step. Soon, the three taggers were the only people in close proximity to where Ichigo was leaning against the tree.

**"Are we going to move?"** Shiro questioned.

"You don't need my permission," Ichigo scoffed. "Just don't go all-out. We're not showing off, got it?"

Now Shiro was the one to scoff.

**"I've already told you that I'm not stupid. It's almost like you don't trust me."**

Ichigo crammed as much disbelief and sarcasm into the one-eyed glare that he sent Shiro as physically possible. With a barely audible snicker, Shiro began walking away. His movements alerted the taggers to glance in Ichigo's direction, and, for the first time, notice the orange-haired boy leaning up against the tree, looking completely unconcerned with his position.

"We should go for him first," the original tagger muttered. The other two agreed, and they spread out, aiming to trap Ichigo against the back of the tree and then tag him. How hard could it be to get one guy?

Calmly, Ichigo watched the three boys approaching him. He knew he was going to have to participate in the game at some level, and the teacher would probably have his head if he let himself get tagged so quickly and easily. No doubt the instructor had at least paid partial attention during the meeting that the teachers had been called to and subsequently wanted to see just how fast Ichigo could go.

"You should go for someone else first," Ichigo stated, staring at the boy directly in front of him. Ichigo never moved, still leaning against the tree with his arms crossed and his face shadowed.

"I don't think so," the boy replied, suddenly lunging forward. His companions did the same, only to find that their target wasn't leaning against the tree anymore. Turning, they found him standing where the teacher had first appeared, arms still crossed and a bored expression on his face.

"Let me repeat myself," Ichigo said calmly. "Go for someone else first."

Riku and Kira watched from some distance away, confused.

"What is he _doing_?" Kira hissed. "He's going to get himself out this early?"

Riku was somewhat suspicious, but he couldn't deny what he was seeing.

"He's always seemed pretty lazy," Riku commented. "Maybe he doesn't want to participate."

They watched in stunned silence as Ichigo continued to evade the three taggers that were pursuing him. Ichigo was moving extremely quickly, but Kira frowned when she saw that he was only barely going fast enough to avoid getting tagged.

"If they keep that up," she growled to her brother, "then Ichigo is going to get tagged. He's not fast enough to keep it up."

"He's not even faster than you," Riku commented, watching with narrowed eyes.

Kira agreed, but if that was really the case it was by a very, _very_ slim margin. Kira had practiced for hours at her home with Riku in order to get to the speed she was at now, but Ichigo seemed to be doing it with relative ease, though he appeared to be getting annoyed.

Ichigo watched as another boy dove at him in a desperate attempt to tag him and suppressed a sigh. Severely limiting his own speed, Ichigo moved to one side and then ducked, avoiding the tag of a second member of the group. Beginning to get irritated, Ichigo decided to end the charade. With barely any conscious effort, he used Shunpo to travel some distance away, using the tree to block the instructor's line of sight. It was a cheap trick, Ichigo knew; the teacher would find out eventually. However, the first day was not the point when Ichigo wanted to reveal the real depth of his abilities.

He watched with a slight smirk as the three taggers looked around in confusion, wondering where the boy they had been targeting had gone.

**"That wasn't very nice," **Shiro commented, coming up beside Ichigo. **"You should've roughed them up, let them know just how pointless is was to go after you."**

"This is a _game_," Ichigo replied. "And this is a speed class, not a combat class. We're not hitting anyone, period."

**"You know we're going to be the last ones left, right?"**

Ichigo sighed, looking around. "Yeah, I know."

Before Shiro could say anything else, Ichigo began walking away, heading towards a particularly tall boulder that was nearby, one of the many "obstacles" that were set up around the large field. Easily, Ichigo climbed to the flat top and lay down there, content not to participate. He'd escaped to an area of the field that none of the other students had gone to, so he was confident that no one had seen what he had done.

He heard Shiro mutter something in annoyance, and then the hollow leaned up against the base of the rock formation, not willing to climb to the top. They were out of the game for now.

* * *

"Where did he go?" Kira wondered, looking around the field. She had seen him avoiding getting tagged, and then Ichigo was suddenly _gone_. Kira hadn't even seen him move.

"I – I don't know," Riku stammered, his eyes scanning the area. He could find no trace of his roommate. "It's like he just . . . disappeared."

The taggers, recovering their wits, began having a heated discussion in the center. Riku and his sister watched anxiously, knowing that the game was about to get a lot more challenging. As they had been expecting, the taggers spread out, taking a different section of the field.

_It's a mix between hide-and-seek and tag,_ Kira thought, watching. _If you're fast enough to find a good hiding spot and avoid detection, then you're set for longer in the game._

She and her brother were crouching behind a medium-sized fallen tree, peering out between the rotting branches. However, the first tagger was heading directly towards them, probably expecting people to be hiding behind the obvious cover.

"Crap," Kira spat, standing. Her brother followed suit, and the two began running in the opposite direction.

The tagger, not to be deterred for a second time, quickly gave chase, using small amounts of Reiatsu to increase the length and speed of his stride. Kira was easily pulling ahead of her brother, and she glanced back worriedly.

"Just go!" Riku called, a defeated smile on his face. He was running as fast as he could, but he'd never been good at Hohō, no matter how many times he tried to practice alongside his sister. Without formal training, he simply had no idea where to begin.

The tagger caught up to Riku a few steps later and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You're it," he said simply. Riku gave him a weary smile.

"Can't say I'm surprised."

His gaze turned back to his sister, who suddenly realized his intentions. Immediately, Kira began running more quickly, knowing that her brother was going to target her for the remainder of the class.

Professor Himora watched the game play out, eyes narrowed. He'd expected those three boys to target Ichigo Kurosaki in the beginning, but he hadn't expected Ichigo to go along with it for so long. Not to mention that once Ichigo had had enough, the boy had seemingly _disappeared_. Himora was no fool; he knew that Ichigo had Flash Stepped away. Even he was surprised at the boy's apparent speed; for the briefest of seconds, Ichigo had completely vanished from Himora's sight. The teacher hadn't seen him return into view, and therefore could not judge how far the boy had managed to travel. In that regard, he was disappointed. The teacher wanted to know how far the boy was capable of travelling in a single step, but apparently Ichigo was not willing to give a demonstration on the first day.

"Oh well," Himora sighed to himself. "I will find a way at some later time."

He watched as more and more students were flushed out of their respective hiding areas, trying to escape, only to be tagged. Apparently the first three to be tagged had been some of the faster boys in the class. There was a blue-haired girl that managed to evade them for some time, being pursued by another, but eventually she was backed into a corner and tagged.

Soon, Himora could count fourteen tagged students milling around the field, searching for the remaining two players.

"You know," a voice mused from behind the teacher, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're trying to get me to go faster."

"That would be the case," Himora replied, turning to see Ichigo Kurosaki standing behind him, his posture relaxed and his expression uncaring. The teacher was, admittedly, somewhat curious as to how Kurosaki had managed to sneak behind him.

The boy in question sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Fine, I'll play your game," he stated. "But I think we should talk after this class is over."

Himora nodded, dismissing the boy's lack of formality. It was somewhat refreshing, though Himora wouldn't appreciate it if the boy took it any further.

"I was thinking the same thing."

"C'mon, Shiro," Ichigo called. He then began walking towards the nearest tagger, his white-skinned brother trailing in his footsteps.

Himora found that boy's smirk to be quite unsettling.

Ichigo, figuring that he might as well get the game over with, walked up to the tagger and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey," he said. "You should probably try to tag me now."

Coincidentally, the boy was one of the original three that had targeted Ichigo. After seeing Ichigo, he immediately yelled to get the attention of the other taggers. Kira was the first to arrive, and raised an eyebrow.

"Why am I not surprised that it's you?" She asked, crossing her arms. Ichigo shrugged, not needing to give a verbal reply.

**"Y'know, King," **Shiro started, staring at the group of students. Ichigo mentally sighed, knowing where his hollow was going with this. **"If one of us gets tagged, this game will get a lot more fun."**

"You can get tagged if you want to," Ichigo deadpanned, not caring that he was probably offending the group of students that had assembled.

_Is he serious?_ Kira wondered, staring at the boy. _"You can get tagged if you want to"? How cocky is he?_

Never being one to wait things out, Kira shot forward, fully intending to tag Ichigo before anyone else.

She was quite surprised when her outstretched fingers met nothing but empty air.

"You're going to have to go faster than that, Kira," Ichigo said somewhat mockingly, though he wasn't necessarily trying to be mean.

"Oh, you're going down," Kira growled, lunging at Ichigo once more. She had been _so close_ the last time. Again, Ichigo seemed to vanish; only to reappear a yard or two away, his expression never changing except for the small smirk that twisted his lips.

Shiro ended up being targeted by a good two-thirds of the class, with the rest joining Kira in an attempt to tag Ichigo. Effortlessly, he evaded all their attempts to tag him, keeping a derogatory smile on his face the entire time. He ducked, weaved, and then outright _disappeared_, only to taunt the group from a few yards away.

Professor Himora watched, expressionless. He knew that Ichigo still wasn't giving it his all; clearly, there were none in the group of students that could even come close to matching him in speed. In the back of his mind, the professor wondered how Ichigo would compare to his own skill with Shunpo. The professor could easily follow his movements, so clearly Himora would have the advantage in a fight, unless the Kurosaki twins were still holding back . . .

Suddenly, the sound of cheering could be heard from the group that had surrounded Kurosaki Shiro. Himora turned in that direction with interest as the crowd parted slightly, revealing Shiro standing in the middle, one of the student's hands touching his shoulder.

**"Damn," **he muttered, though the grin that he sported belied any real frustration in the word. **"Looks like I've been caught."**

Ichigo, much to Himora's interest, had suddenly distanced himself from his own pursuers at the sound of cheering.

"Where're you going, Ichigo?!" Kira yelled, a bead of sweat dripping down one side of her face.

"Get back over here!" Riku called, echoing the sentiments of his sister. Several other students repeated the call, but Ichigo wasn't paying attention to them. Faintly, Himora could hear him mutter something that the teacher found very interesting, though it was more lip reading than actual hearing.

"Shiro, you bastard," Ichigo growled.

What happened next startled everyone present. Ichigo and Shiro seemed to vanish, much as they had earlier, but this time they didn't reappear anywhere nearby. Himora's eyes widened, and faintly – only faintly – he could make out Ichigo and his brother moving throughout the field, never completely coming into view.

_What . . . what kind of skill is this, and when did this boy come to possess it? _ Himora wondered with awe, able to follow the motion of the two boys but seeing that they were moving extremely quickly. Some of the other students had caught on to what was happening, especially the two siblings, Kira and Riku. They were turning in circles, trying to track the twins.

Himora found himself startled as an explosion of dust happened right in front of him. For the first time in the minute since they had abruptly vanished, Ichigo and Shiro became fully visible. Shiro's hand was extended, inches away from Ichigo's chest. Shiro was no longer smirking, and a frustrated scowl was plastered across his features. Ichigo, on the other hand, was smiling slightly.

Ichigo was finding it fun to freely run around the grounds. He had the feeling that he wouldn't be able to do this in his other classes, and from what he could see of the teacher Himora didn't have that much of a problem with it.

_I'll talk to him when the bell rings,_ Ichigo thought to himself.

However, Ichigo could feel himself slowing rapidly. The constant use of Shunpo was draining him at a fantastic rate, something that Ichigo didn't have the time to focus on at the moment.

"You should be doing better, Shiro," Ichigo taunted, eliciting an annoyed growl from his twin. As quickly as they had appeared, they disappeared again, drawing impressed sounds from their classmates.

"That is what high-level Hohō looks like," Himora stated, deciding to act as if he had planned this. The Kurosaki boys were interesting, to say the least. "Please notice how neither of these two are appearing in the same place, and that following their movements in nearly impossible."

Most of Himora's words were lost on the students, who were busy watching Ichigo's display – rather, the effects of Ichigo's display – of skill with Shunpo.

One boy among the students was scowling, the same boy that Ichigo had noticed earlier because he had sensed the professor approaching before the class had begun, but no one took any notice.

The battle of the two brothers came to an abrupt end when Ichigo suddenly flickered back into view by the professor, holding a very angry Shiro by the wrist.

**"I said let me go, dammit!"**

"Language," Ichigo lectured flatly, releasing his twin brother. "Either way, I win because you weren't going to catch me before the bell."

**"Let's have a rematch!"**

"No."

Throughout the chase, Ichigo had realized that his hollow was moving more slowly than usual, almost like he couldn't go any faster. He had therefore decided to end the exchange before things got out of hand, much to Shiro's annoyance. The fact that Ichigo's own speed was reduced wasn't lost on the human.

A shrill noise sounded throughout the field.

"That's convenient," Riku commented wryly, walking towards his friend with Kira following.

"You guys go to the next class," Ichigo said, stopping them. "Shiro and I are going to talk with Professor Himora."

Kira frowned, but nodded.

"Fine. But you and I are going to have a talk later."

Ichigo didn't like the sound of that, but Kira was already walking away, this time towing her brother along. After sighing quietly, Ichigo looked back at the awestruck professor.

"I'm guessing you want an explanation," he said quietly. Himora nodded.

"Yes, though I would be content if you chose not to give me one. I was simply wondering if you could tell me who taught you those skills."

Ichigo smirked, deciding at that moment that a more in-depth talk could wait.

"A cat," he said simply, before vanishing from sight, leaving the dumbstruck Hohō teacher standing in the field, alone.

Ichigo managed to make it to the Zanjutsu room before the bell rang and slid into a seat in the back of the classroom right as the shrill tone sounded. Kira and Riku were still on either side of him, and Shiro was behind him. Surprisingly enough, Shiro didn't say anything, and he wasn't sleeping. Rather, he had a strange look of concentration on his face while he stared at a fixed point in the distance.

When the teacher walked into the room, it was hard not to notice. He was tall, taller than Ichigo, and muscular. He was bald, but wore glasses, and exuded an intimidating air.

"Welcome to Advanced Zanjutsu," the man stated, walking up to the large desk that sat in one corner. "For many of you, this will be your most difficult class." His gaze swept over the assembled students, not lingering on anyone in particular. "For others, you will find this class to be the most enjoyable."

The teacher came out from behind his desk, and Ichigo recognized the form of a Zanpakutō held in his hands. No doubt it was his, though the man did not seem to have that high of a spiritual pressure. It was higher than that of the other teachers, but nothing higher than a third seat.

"My name is Gengorō Ōnabara, and I am the teacher of this course." Once more, his gaze swept the classroom. "For those of you who have made it this far into the advanced classes yet still need a crash course on the mechanics of a Zanpakutō, you are in luck."

Ichigo immediately zoned out. He meant no disrespect to the teacher, but what he was saying simply held no interest for the substitute Shinigami. He managed to stay out of it for most of the class, only picking up a few important pieces. He was aware that the class would be taught through sparring, since those present had already demonstrated some skill with a sword. It would begin with practice blades called Shinai, and then later move on to nameless Zanpakutō. Overall, Ichigo knew that the only person he needed to be concerned about fighting was Shiro, and that was irrelevant because Shiro wasn't permitted to participate in any kind of conflict.

Lunch was equally as uneventful as Zanjutsu, with Ichigo's only real thought being that school food universally sucked.

Professor Minami taught Ichigo's final core course, Advanced Hakuda. Unfortunately, after training under Yoruichi and with constant assaults from his father, Ichigo expected the class to be extremely boring. He wasn't disappointed, but still vowed to give the class more effort the next day.

The meditation class that Ichigo had been signed up for wouldn't start until the students got their Asauchi from their Advanced Zanjutsu course, which wouldn't be for a while.

Ichigo hadn't missed the looks he had been getting from Kira and Riku the entire day, and braced himself for the "friendly chat" the friends were going to have once they escaped the classroom.

Kira had the decency to drag Ichigo to a less populated area on the school grounds before she started her tirade.

"When the _hell_ were you planning on telling me that you were that good at Hohō?" She demanded. Ichigo shrugged, leaning against a convenient wall.

"You never asked, so I never figured that I needed to tell."

Kira let out a sigh of frustration. "When and where did you learn it?"

"That's something I can't really tell you."

"Tell me!"

"No."

"Tell me!"

"No."

"TELL ME!"

"No."

Before Kira's head could explode, Riku's comforting hand fell onto her shoulder.

"Kira," he suggested calmly, "why don't you go get Mika while I talk to Ichigo, okay?"

Somehow, Riku weathered the glare that his sister sent him until Kira caved.

"Fine," she growled. "But don't think this is over, Kurosaki!"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Ichigo muttered as Kira stalked away.

**"You're great with women," **Shiro commented.

"You're one to talk."

Shiro smirked, knowing that Ichigo's reply had been more reflexive than intellectual.

"So, what do you want to ask me?" Ichigo queried, looking at Riku. The boy shrugged.

"Honestly, there's so many things I want to ask you about right now that it would be more trouble than it's worth to start."

Raising an eyebrow, Ichigo felt grateful that at least one person was holding back today.

"Oi, Ichigo!"

Or not.

"Ichigo!"

**"That didn't take long."**

The substitute Shinigami knew exactly who was calling his name, and he really didn't want to answer, but he had no choice unless he wanted to pay for it in some obscure way later.

"What is it?" He yelled, seeing an approaching figure through the number of students that were in the courtyard. However, they abruptly parted as a lieutenant of the Gotei Thirteen walked through them.

"Something's come up," Renji said, finally getting within normal speaking range of his friend.

Riku watched, dumbstruck, as the boy he had recently become friends with had a completely normal conversation with a _lieutenant_. He'd known that Ichigo was skilled, and that something about him seemed off, but this was just ridiculous.

"So there's another meeting tonight?" Ichigo sighed, closing his eyes for a second out of annoyance. "Fine. What does that have to do with me, exactly?"

"You're coming," Renji replied. "All of the teachers are too, since apparently they didn't pay close enough attention to Captain Ukitake the first time through. And there are a few other things we'll need to talk about as well." Renji's gaze momentarily turned to Riku, but it returned to Ichigo a second later. "So? Are you going to respond?"

"Yeah, yeah," Ichigo muttered. "I'll go, since I don't really have a choice. I'm guessing it's in the Thirteenth Division barracks?" Ichigo was already thinking about bringing Riku, Mika, and Kira along just so he wouldn't have to explain anything at a later date. Since Ichigo was rooming with Riku, it would be that much harder to hide his identity. Not to mention that Kira was . . . curious, to put it lightly. Ichigo's demonstration in the Hohō class and Kira's subsequent reaction was proof enough of her determination.

Renji nodded.

"And when is it?" Ichigo continued. Renji smiled.

"Now."

* * *

_Longest. Chapter. Ever. With A/Ns it's over 10,000 words, which is a new record for me. I could've split it, but there wasn't really any good point to do so. Just don't expect me to have another chapter this long anytime soon._

_As a side note, due to complications with my writing (dammit writer's block) I won't be uploading on Wednesdays anymore. I was going to do it for the last time next week, but some other stuff got in the way. So, if you get curious, here's your warning._

_Review Responses:_

**_Brayan Mariachi: _**_I want to see that picture as much as you do; unfortunately, ever since I've thought of it, I've realized that I am nowhere near talented enough to draw that. So, anyone else want to draw Renji with yellow hair?_

**_Krazyfanfiction1: _**_ Eh, Ichigo will get over it. Probably. Kūkaku can be pretty harsh._

_And . . . there were no other reviews._

_Here's my appreciation to everyone who's followed/favorited recently. It would be nice to see your comments in a review._

_To those who are willing to help me with what was mentioned in the previous A/N, please message me!_

_Finally, I was thinking about doing a Winter War kind of fic, where Ichigo goes back in time. Nothing special, though I won't do that until I'm done with this one. It's just an idea that's been rolling around in my head and honestly I kind of like those stories, especially when they're written well. But this isn't something I'll mention again until much later._

_-RoR_

_Coming up: reaction chapter (the last one for a while), and I poke fun at the fourth wall._


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

* * *

Chapter 15

"I would like to remove my vote from Renji's side and put it on Ichigo's," Rukia stated smoothly in the moments after Uryū stopped reading. Before Renji could protest, Rukia pulled out her pen and notebook, scratching out her vote on the "Renji wins" side and transferring it to the "Ichigo wins" side.

While Renji stared at his friend with a look of complete and utter betrayal, Orihime complemented Uryū on his reading.

"Thank you, Orihime," Uryū replied, pushing up his glasses and somehow making them flash even in the low lighting. "It was nothing. In fact, it would probably be best if I read the next chapter-"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Ishida," Ichigo warned, intentionally using Uryū's last name. "I just needed a short break, and that had to be the longest chapter so far."

"Are you jealous of me, Kurosaki?"

"Definitely not!"

The two settled into glaring at each other, which was interrupted by a sigh from Uryū as he broke eye contact with Ichigo.

"I suppose that I want to change my vote as well."

"Uryū!" Renji protested even as Rukia switched yet another person's vote. "Why are you guys switching, anyway? Nothing's happened that could possibly make Ichigo look responsible!"

"I resent that," Ichigo muttered.

"Well, it seems like it's quite obvious at this point that Ichigo is going to have a much easier time at this Academy than we previously expected," Uryū replied calmly, not hearing what Ichigo had said. "Therefore, it is logical that we would switch our votes to back the most likely of outcomes."

"And, Renji," Rukia added with a grin, "we all know how stubborn Ichigo can be. I doubt he would lose, even in a fictional story."

"Thanks . . .?" Ichigo said, not really sure if what Rukia had said was an insult or a complement.

"Traitors," Renji stated. "We all know that Ichigo is too impulsive to actually win a long-term bet."

"That's like the spoon telling the fork it's fat," Orihime pointed out. Immediately, everyone in the room save Orihime sweatdropped.

"Actually, Orihime," Uryū said, "it's the pot telling the bowl it's fat."

"No, Uryū," Rukia corrected, "it's not a bowl, but a kettle, and it's not telling, it's calling. It's the pot calling the kettle fat."

"You're all wrong!" Ichigo snapped, a tick mark above his right eye. "It's the pot calling the kettle black, okay? Not a spoon, a fork, or a bowl! It was even said in the story!"

"Ohhhhh," Orihime whispered, her eyes widening in realization. "That makes a lot more sense. Heh."

Uryū and Rukia stayed silent, preferring that their own misinterpretations remain under the radar. Especially Uryū, since he had been the one reading the previous chapter and therefore should have noticed the saying and remembered it when Orihime said the words wrong.

"What were you guys even trying to say with that, anyway?" Renji demanded after a pause. Orihime blushed slightly, and then tried to cover it up with an abnormally bright smile.

"Um, nothing! Nothing at all!"

Not one person in the room believed her, but none of them were heartless enough to press the matter.

"I should point out that now the votes are four to Ichigo winning and two to Renji winning," Rukia stated, breaking the awkward silence.

"That makes it two to four," Uryū mused, "which is the exact opposite of what it was before."

"Because you and Rukia switched sides," Renji grumbled, scowling.

"Well, they know you're going to lose," Ichigo retorted, smirking.

"I'm pretty sure that's what they think about you," Renji snapped.

"Then why are they voting for me, smart guy?"

"Clearly they want to use reverse psychology!"

"I'm surprised you even know what that is!"

"You mean you actually do? That's surprising!"

"Are you calling me stupid?"

"Maybe I am!"

"Maybe you're both ridiculous," Rukia interrupted, eyes closed and one eyebrow twitching. "Can you go ten minutes without arguing?"

"We did when Uryū was reading," Ichigo pointed out, trying and failing to keep the smugness out of his tone. For his efforts, he was rewarded with a plush lion to his face.

"Ow . . ." Kon muttered, falling.

"I'll get you back for that one, Rukia," Ichigo promised, getting ready to throw Kon again. The mod soul looked considerably happier at the new development and was eyeing Rukia in a very disturbing manner.

"I don't think so, Kurosaki," Rukia replied, somehow having armed herself with a pillow from the previous fight.

"Oh no, I am _not_ getting dragged into this again," Uryū declared, backing away from Ichigo and Rukia.

"Guys, maybe you should calm down," Renji suggested, only to be flung back by the force of a plush lion and pillow slamming into his face simultaneously.

Uryū winced in sympathy, suddenly much happier that he hadn't intervened. The power behind the throws and the fact that they both hit Renji spot-on only spoke for the throwers' accuracy, even in the dark.

"So . . ." Orihime said quietly. "Are we going to talk about what happened in the story?"

"You mean the 'favorite moment' thing again?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow. Orihime shrugged.

"I guess. I just thought we should talk about it."

"What is this, book club?" Renji muttered, only to be slammed in the face by another pillow, courtesy of Rukia.

"So, who wants to start?" Orihime questioned brightly, not seeming to notice what had just happened to Renji. Her question was met with dead silence, which Orihime took to mean that she should go first, instead of being insulted.

"Okay! Well, I thought that Ichigo defending Kira was the sweetest thing ever, and then when he helped her afterwards it was just-!" Orihime cut herself off, choosing to smile blindingly at Ichigo instead. The orange-haired boy was at a loss for words, and he didn't have the heart to point out that it was still a fictional story, as disturbingly accurate as it was.

"I agree," Rukia stated, eyeing Ichigo as well. "That scene was particularly interesting for me, and I enjoyed it thoroughly, though I do regret that there wasn't much detail on exactly what the Ichigo in the story did."

Ichigo stared at the Shinigami.

_Apparently she's got a violent side,_ he realized, making note not to mess with Rukia as much in the future.

"I've gotta admit," Renji said from where he was recovering from Rukia's attacks, "that did sound like something Ichigo would do." Renji glanced at the substitute Shinigami. "Don't you have two sisters?"

Ichigo momentarily tensed but then forced himself to relax.

"Yeah. Why?"

Renji shrugged. "No reason. Forget it."

Ichigo could guess where Renji's thoughts had momentarily gone, and he'd had the same ideas when Uryū had been reading that scene. The entire time, Ichigo couldn't help the image of Yuzu in place of Mika and Karin in place of Kira. He'd barely restrained himself from leaving the room and checking on his sisters to make sure that they were all right, and it hadn't bothered him in the slightest when the three bullies were punished severely in the story. Anyone who would prey on the innocent and helpless like that deserved whatever punishment they got.

Although, the part where the hollow – Shiro – had helped with getting revenge on the bullies confused Ichigo to some degree. Even more confusing was the way the story was painting Shiro as something more than Ichigo's inner hollow, almost as though the relationship between the two was something deeper than Shinigami and Hollow.

Ichigo knew he was missing something in the story, but he didn't know what. And that frustrated him.

Suddenly, Ichigo became aware of a foreign presence inside his mind. He immediately tensed, recognizing it as his own inner hollow. However, Ichigo's inner hollow wasn't trying to take over, something that surprised Ichigo but made sense at the same time. Ichigo was in his human body, after all, so he wasn't sure how the hollow taking over would even work.

No one in the room had noticed the way that Ichigo was completely spacing out, and that was likely for the best. The power outage only helped to disguise Ichigo's thoughts with the darkness that it provided.

_What is he doing?_ Ichigo wondered, getting very uncomfortable with the pressure in his brain. It wasn't exactly a headache, but it was in that neighborhood.

Much to Ichigo's annoyance, his inner hollow didn't say anything, and he didn't even give one of his cryptic and somewhat creepy warnings about Ichigo "running out of time". Instead, he just gave Ichigo the weirdest headache the teenager had ever experienced.

Ichigo was abruptly snapped out of his thoughts when something fluffy slammed into his face, knocking him flat onto his back.

"Ow," Ichigo groaned, picking the pillow off his face and tossing it to one side. "What was that for, Rukia? Did you miss Renji or something?"

"I am not a target," Renji said under his breath.

"I said your name at least ten times and you never responded," Rukia replied simply. "Throwing a pillow was the best way to get your attention."

"Or," Ichigo suggested icily, "you could've, you know, said my name _a little louder_ like a normal person!"

"Last I checked, I'm a Shinigami," Rukia stated with a superior tone.

"You're in a gigai," Ichigo retorted, causing Rukia to frown in annoyance.

"I'm still a Shinigami."

Ichigo just smirked and proceeded to dodge the plush lion that flew past his face. Kon, at this point, had given up trying to stop people from throwing him. After so many times hitting the wall, he was actually quite dazed.

"Anyway," Ichigo said, choosing to ignore that Rukia had just thrown Kon at him. "Why were you saying my name, Rukia?"

"We wanted to know what your favorite part was," the Shinigami replied impatiently.

"Oh . . . um . . . can you come back to me on that?"

"No."

Faintly, Ichigo thought he could hear laughing in the back of his mind, but before he could pay any attention to it the noise faded into the sound of rain hitting the roof.

"C'mon, Ichigo!" Orihime pleaded, looking at her friend with wide, puppy-dog eyes. Sighing, Ichigo finally complied.

"I guess I liked the tag scene in the Hohō class. Satisfied?"

"Considering that you're the main character in the story," Uryū put in, "you should be asking yourself that."

Not for the first time, Ichigo considered punching the arrogant Quincy in front of him, but restrained himself.

He could almost feel the disappointment coming from the presence in his head. After a few more seconds of silence, Uryū was the one who took the lead.

"Personally, I believed the scene with Ichigo in the Advanced Teachings class was the most accurate representation of him." Uryū paused a beat, letting the words sink in. "He's lazy, underprepared and vastly overestimates the amount of knowledge he has acquired."

This time, Ichigo was unable to stop himself from launching Kon at the Quincy hard enough to knock Uryū over.

"It's accurate," Kon groaned from the floor next to Uryū. In response, the stuffed lion got his first taste of the night of what it felt like to be slammed with a pillow at high velocity, instead of being the object thrown.

"I agree with the lion," Renji snickered. Ichigo's eye twitched.

"And which one of us is missing part of an eyebrow?" He countered, eliciting snickers from both Rukia and – in an uncharacteristic display of mischief – Orihime.

"Give me a few minutes and I won't be the only one," Renji threatened. Ichigo smirked.

"Good luck with that. You wouldn't stand a chance, Pineapple."

Renji growled, but it was extremely hard to take him seriously when one of his eyebrows was practically cut into two pieces.

"I look forward to my brother's reaction upon seeing his loyal lieutenant," Rukia commented, grinning.

"This is your fault in the first place, Rukia!" Renji snapped.

"Technically," Ichigo interrupted, "it's mine, since I'm the one that put that ribbon on your face."

"Don't even start," Renji warned.

Ichigo saw the change in Renji's expression and he didn't like the way his eyes suddenly lit up. A sense of foreboding descended on Ichigo and that feeling prompted Ichigo to duck.

The substitute Shinigami narrowly avoided suffering the same fate that Renji had previously, seeing a very irritated Rukia out of the corner of his eye and feeling a rush of air over his head. She held a very sparkly yellow ribbon in her right hand, and the adhesive side was all too prominent. The frustration that she radiated let Ichigo know exactly what she had been trying to do.

"That's not gonna work," Ichigo laughed, smirking.

Suddenly, Ichigo saw Orihime move from her position to his left and instantly he leaned back, suspicious of his classmate's motives. His actions proved to be justified as Orihime's blue-ribbon-carrying fingers missed his face by an infinitesimal amount. However, Orihime's momentum didn't stop there.

"Oops!" She cried, falling onto Ichigo's lap. Unfortunately, she was still off-balance, and rolled off her friend and onto the floor, the ribbon flying out of her hand on impact. Annoyed, Uryū swatted the ribbon away from him, unintentionally aiming the seemingly innocent piece of plastic in the direction of the one Shinigami who was developing a hatred for ribbons.

By sheer chance, the ribbon hit Renji's other eyebrow.

And stuck.

Every single person in the room stared at Renji, whose face could only be described as a mix between furious and humiliated.

Agonizingly slowly, the ribbon peeled off of Renji's face, fluttering delicately to the ground and staying there.

Unfortunately for the Sixth Division Lieutenant, he ribbon did not come off Renji's face without taking a few souvenirs; most notably, the ribbon took a fair portion of Renji's other eyebrow.

Renji's eye twitched, and he seemed unable to form any sounds to demonstrate the depths of his anger and frustration at that moment.

Rukia's eyes were as wide as saucers and she had one hand over her mouth. The ribbon she had previously been trying to stick on Ichigo was one the floor, forgotten.

Orihime had let out a small gasp, her face a more furious red than it had ever been previously as she realized that it was theoretically her fault that Renji now looked like he had four separate eyebrows.

Uryū tried to look disinterested in the whole situation, but the subtle smirk on his face belied that image.

Kon was holding onto the offending ribbon, staring at the red hair that was stuck on it with the most surprised expression a stuffed lion could pull off.

Ichigo was smirking widely, finding the whole situation absolutely hilarious, and he made no attempt to hide his laughter when it finally became too much for him to hold in.

Instantly, the silent air in Ichigo's room was shattered as more laughter followed Ichigo's. Only Renji was silent; he was silently feeling the area where he was now minus part of an eyebrow with an irked expression.

"Funny," he said through gritted teeth. "Absolutely hilarious."

"Someone in the universe hates you," Ichigo managed between fits of snickering. "The odds of that happening were a million to one."

"Why me?" Renji groaned, falling onto his back and staring up at Ichigo's ceiling, only to be nearly blinded by a particularly bright flash of lightning. At the subsequent clap of thunder, the atmosphere in the room slowly became more serious, but only slightly.

"So . . . are we going to read the next chapter?" Orihime asked.

"Absolutely," Rukia answered. "Renji undoubtedly needs that time to recover."

"Maybe if ribbons didn't hate me so much we wouldn't be having this problem," Renji snapped weakly.

"'We'?" Ichigo repeated. "There's no 'we' here. You're the only unlucky guy in the room." An idea occurred to Ichigo, and his smirk widened. "Maybe you should have Ikkaku do his lucky dance for you."

"NO!"

"I believe I should read again," Uryū said calmly, pushing up his glasses while also holding out a hand for Ichigo's laptop at the same time.

"Uh, no," Ichigo replied, holding his laptop. "It's my turn."

"Clearly I'm the better reader."

"Clearly you've got the bigger ego."

"You're simply jealous that I am better than you at reading."

"Ichigo," Rukia said from the floor, her voice deceptively calm.

"Yeah?"

"Read."

There was no other option provided by Rukia's tone, and even Uryū was unwilling to argue with her.

"You can read next time," Ichigo offered Uryū, but the Quincy just huffed and turned away.

As Ichigo began reading, he could almost swear that the presence in his head got more intense, as if Ichigo's inner hollow was actually _interested _in what Ichigo was reading.

* * *

_A/N I like picking on Renji. I mean, four eyebrows? I was grinning the entire time I wrote that scene, and I hope you guys enjoyed it._

_Review Responses:_

**_Guest: _**_considering that Riku is rooming with Ichigo and that the eldest Isuke isn't exactly an idiot, the secret was going to come out no matter what. It's just better that it comes out in a controlled environment, instead of a confrontation. I've always hated it when authors build pointless tension between characters that could easily be resolved by someone talking (though I am guilty of that myself)._

**_Guest:_**_ Shiro will be getting more action in later chapters; and you're right, he is a little frustrated with how little he can do._

**_Krazyfanfiction1:_**_ well, you'll find out in exactly seven days!_

_And those are all the__ reviews for the previous chapter . . . so I guess I'll see you guys next Saturday._

_-RoR_

_Coming up: Meetings and talking and anger issues_

_Please review._


	16. Chapter 16

_I'm posting this five minutes before midnight (so basically Saturday) and for some reason that has songs from Linkin Park's "Minutes to Midnight" album rolling around in my head._

_Anyway, I'm back! Hope you guys enjoyed last chapter, because there won't be another reaction chapter for quite some time. Also, at some point in the future, I may need to take a small break (like 2-3 weeks) in order to maintain my chapter buffer, otherwise there will be unannounced and unexplained lacks of chapters. _

_In the meantime, have fun with Ichigo getting bored at a meeting (sort of)._

* * *

Chapter 16

Ichigo, Shiro, Kira, Mika, and Riku all sat in one of the training rooms in the Thirteenth Division barracks. Cushions had been set up around the room, and Ichigo had been more than happy to sit down, since everyone had been staring at him, especially the teachers. Ichigo also couldn't ignore the stares he was getting from his new friends, and Shiro wouldn't stop smirking like he found the whole situation hilarious.

"Ichigo," Kira hissed, "why did you drag me out here? And Riku, why did you grab Mika?"

"Ichigo told me to get her," Riku replied, seeing that the orange-haired boy wasn't planning on explaining just yet.

"Kira, just wait," Ichigo sighed, trying not to say anything that would make Kira even angrier but knowing that he had to speak. "If you still have questions after this, then you can ask them, okay?"

"Fine." Kira didn't sound happy in the least about the situation, but she didn't press matters, which Ichigo was grateful for.

Professor Tsukino tried to avoid staring at Kurosaki Ichigo. She knew that this meeting was about him, and she could guess what topics were going to be covered. She should've known that a second meeting would be called, simply because no teachers paid attention the first time. They'd been too busy getting things set up for the school year to worry about two special new students.

But Kurosaki Ichigo . . . he took "special" to an entirely different level. Tsukino had always prided herself on being intelligent, and she was more than capable of figuring out that Captain Ukitake had left out a few important details during the last meeting, perhaps thinking that the Kurosaki twins wouldn't want that information to be out in public. Apparently, that mindset had changed, or the Captain had deemed the information too important to stay hidden.

The instructor wasn't sure why the Isuke children were at the meeting, though she recalled seeing them sitting near Ichigo. It would make sense then, that the five were friends with each other, and Ichigo would want them there to hear whatever information was going to be shared.

"Professor Tsukino, what are your thoughts on this situation?"

Tsukino barely suppressed a wince at the sound of Professor Kobayashi's voice. Honestly, the man could put a rhino to sleep simply by saying his own name.

Before the pink-haired professor was dragged into a meaningless discussion with the Advanced Teachings instructor, the captain of the Thirteenth Division, Captain Ukitake, walked into the room. Immediately, all conversations ceased and the room descended into silence.

Ichigo watched as Captain Ukitake took a position in the front of the room and cleared his throat. The substitute Shinigami wasn't stupid; he knew that this meeting was going to expose most of his life's secrets and a few other things – namely Shiro's real identity – that he wanted to keep under wraps.

Vaguely, he wondered what Kira was going to say. No doubt, they would try to get as far away from him as possible. Hell, Riku would probably want to get a new roommate, if not move to a new room entirely. Who in their right minds would want to room with a hollow? Ichigo tried not to think of the implications of that when applied to himself.

Ichigo became aware of Shiro leaning towards him and had to refrain from punching the hollow when Ichigo heard what he was whispering.

**"Secrets, secrets are no fun . . ."**

"Shut up," Ichigo hissed back, managing not to move his mouth.

"I would like to thank all of you for coming," Captain Ukitake started, his understanding gaze sweeping the room. "I realize that this is the first day of the Shin'ō Academy school year, but this meeting is to cover questions that were no doubt raised during the day."

The teachers all nodded – seemingly without knowing it – upon hearing those words.

"These questions are most likely about one of the new students at the Shin'ō Academy: Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo didn't miss the way his friends stiffened. It was one thing for a student to be called to a meeting, it was quite another for the topic of the meeting to be _that student_.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, if you would stand, please."

Sighing, Ichigo got to his feet, keeping the same bored, uncaring expression on his face that he had been maintaining for some time now. He sat down seconds later, after each person in the room – the teachers, his friends, Captain Ukitake, and a few other people that were associated with the school's program – got a good look at him.

"Thank you." Captain Ukitake cleared his throat, as if he wasn't entirely sure how to proceed. "As most of you were told in the last meeting, Kurosaki Ichigo is more than a regular student at the Shin'ō Academy."

That statement was received with various mutterings of assent from the assembled souls.

"However," Captain Ukitake continued, "I feel that there is another topic that we must discuss before we talk too deeply about Ichigo and his . . . brother."

Not one person in the room failed to notice the hesitation in the room at Ukitake's use of the word "brother", and Shiro suddenly found himself to be the target of several curious gazes. Needless to say, the hollow was not pleased, and he returned any looks with a glare that could melt ice.

"As I am sure all of you know, the conflict with Sosuke Aizen was ended not too long ago. Are you aware of how that battle ended?"

The Advanced Teachings professor cleared his throat. Luckily, he had closed his eyes for the moment, causing him to miss all of the apprehensive looks that flew around the room. Captain Ukitake nodded at the instructor, and Professor Kobayashi spoke.

"The battle ended in the Soul Society," Professor Kobayashi drawled in a mind-numbing monotone. "Near the transported town of Karakura, in fact. More accurately, it was some distance away as to prevent damages to that town and, subsequently, its inhabitants, who had all been knocked unconscious during the transport of Karakura Town to the Soul Society."

"No disrespect, Professor Kobayashi," Professor Ōnabara interrupted, adjusting his glasses. "But could you please cut to the part that the captain is likely trying to direct our attention to?"

"My apologies. Aizen was defeated in a large battle outside of Karakura Town, and then sealed by Kisuke Urahara, the former captain of the Thirteenth Division."

"Thank you, Professor Kobayashi," Captain Ukitake said gracefully.

_I swear that man is the only one who can thank the professor like that with a straight face, _Professor Tsukino thought, struggling to keep her own expression neutral. Many others in the room were thinking the same thought and having similar struggles.

"Though, I feel obligated to ask," Ukitake added, "are any of you aware as to who defeated the traitor Aizen in that final battle?"

The room was coated in an uncomfortable silence, but many people were coming to a similar conclusion. One by one, the people began to turn towards Ichigo and Shiro Kurosaki.

Kira had a look of disbelief on her face, mirrored by her brother. Mika was unreadable, much in the way of a child that has found something of interest but doesn't want to share that knowledge.

The teachers were all having realization dawn on their features, and only Professor Tsukino seemed to have any indication that she had suspected this beforehand.

"The person who defeated Aizen was Kurosaki Ichigo."

If Ukitake had been expecting uproar, he would've been disappointed. The room was dead silent.

"In fact, Kurosaki Ichigo has been deeply involved with the Soul Society for months, and has been an invaluable asset to the Gotei Thirteen. He has repeatedly demonstrated loyalty and skills above that of a captain."

The glare that Kira was sending to Ichigo could've turned lava to solid rock in an instant. Riku wasn't any better, but Mika . . . Mika was just staring at Ichigo, nothing in particular behind her gaze. Moments later, her gaze shifted to Shiro.

"While the services that Kurosaki Ichigo has offered the Soul Society are innumerable, his current situation demands a certain level of anonymity. Due to the complications that would arise should Ichigo's actions in recent months come to light, the Shinigami Women's Association has requested that those here do not repeat what they have heard. They have a signed request form courtesy of the Head Captain, and any person who violates this request will be reprimanded severely."

Ukitake paused, probably to let the various interpretations of "reprimanded severely" sink in.

"Now, Kurosaki Ichigo has agreed to attend the Shin'ō Academy, and it is expected that the teachers do not treat him as anything but an exceptionally gifted student."

Looking up, the white-haired captain could see that a pink-haired teacher was raising her hand, an inquisitive expression on her face.

"Yes?"

"Captain Ukitake, would it be acceptable for the teachers to spend more time with Kurosaki Ichigo than other students in the interest of increasing his skills in weakened areas, without being overly obvious in doing so?"

Ichigo winced slightly, remembering his terrible Kidō skills.

"That is perfectly all right," Captain Ukitake acknowledged, smiling inwardly. He was well aware of Ichigo's lack of talent with Kidō. "Now, there is one other matter that is equally important, and that would be Kurosaki Ichigo's condition."

The word "condition" was repeated questioningly throughout the room in muted tones, and both Ichigo and Shiro struggled to keep uncaring expressions on their faces.

**"I am not a 'condition'," **Shiro growled almost inaudibly. Luckily, no one heard him.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, due to forces outside of his control, has within his soul a being we know as a Hollow, though his is slightly different, referred to as an inner Hollow." Ukitake continued speaking, silencing the whispers that had broken out. "At the defeat of Aizen, this hollow was manifested outside of Kurosaki Ichigo's inner world and is unable to return to that place. After demonstrating that he can be restrained by Ichigo and in light of the services Kurosaki Ichigo has provided the Soul Society, the hollow was allowed out of captivity, though is under careful surveillance."

Many people were now making the connection, and the now hostile glares were descending on Ichigo and his twin.

"In the interest of keeping the peace, it was decided that the hollow would take up the identity of Kurosaki Ichigo's younger brother, Shiro."

Uproar ensued; completely the opposite of the silence Ukitake's last bombshell had created.

Apparently, that bit of information hadn't been shared at the previous meeting, and the Shinigami in the room who were not already informed about the situation drew their swords with the ringing of deadly steel.

Only to be crushed by a suffocating and deadly powerful spiritual pressure. Nearly every person in the room – including each person who had made a hostile move – collapsed to one knee, unable to stand under the Reiatsu distorting the air.

Kira struggled to pull oxygen into her lungs, and it felt like the weight of the world was bearing down on her shoulders. Glancing to her side, she saw that Riku was in much the same position.

Mika, unlike nearly everyone else in the room, seemed unaffected by the spiritual pressure. She simply continued to stare at Shiro, though there was nothing menacing in the look. Mika almost seemed . . . curious. Kira was just happy that her sister wasn't being harmed. At the same time, her mind worked furiously to identify the spiritual pressure. She'd felt it before, but where?

The answer came to Kira in a rush: the alley. When Ichigo had protected her. The memory made her head hurt but Kira knew for sure that this spiritual pressure, strong enough to make the Shinigami in the room quake, was coming from Ichigo. However, there was something more behind it. Almost like someone else was also pressing down with spiritual pressure, adding to and augmenting Ichigo's.

"Ichi . . . go . . ." Kira managed to gasp, her chest aching from the pressure. She saw him glance at her out of the corner of his eye, and then the spiritual pressure that had been strong enough to distort the very atmosphere of the room suddenly vanished. As one, the people who had been suffering its effects collapsed, forced to take a moment to recover.

"I think," Ichigo stated, his voice measured, "that you should listen to what Captain Ukitake has to say before you act."

The captain, though he didn't necessarily approve of Ichigo's methods, silently thanked Ichigo for preventing any conflict from arising. Ukitake had known that the information that Shiro was a hollow would surprise many of the Shinigami attending, but he could never think of a way to break it to the group gently. And Ichigo's control over his spiritual pressure – the way he targeted it only at the people who were a threat to him and Shiro – was impressive, to say the least.

Shiro glanced to his left, where a particularly energetic Shinigami had managed to lunge at him before he and Ichigo had released their Reiatsu. The man was now gasping, his forehead slick with sweat.

**"Hey," **Shiro said, unable to help the sadistic grin that split his face. For a moment, the Shinigami looked furious, but then Shiro's own spiritual pressure – undoubtedly that of a hollow's – slammed down on him, forcing the Soul Reaper to his knees, eyes bugging out of his head.

"Shiro. Stop."

Instantly, the Shinigami was released and he scrambled back, fading into the other people in the room.

Shiro glared at Ichigo, a snarl on his face.

**"You're no fun."**

Even the hollow was caught unprepared by the barely disguised fury that swam beneath Ichigo's icy calm façade. The weight of the substitute Shinigami's anger hit Shiro and any words the hollow was planning on saying died in his throat.

Captain Ukitake took the ensuing silence to mean that he could speak again.

"As I was saying, the boy known as Kurosaki Shiro is, indeed, a Hollow." Ukitake paused, as if waiting for someone to try something again. Having learned from last time, no one did. "However, he poses no threat to the Soul Society. Kurosaki Ichigo is more than capable of restraining him should it come to that, but Shiro has also demonstrated that he is clearly intelligent enough not to cause any trouble."

Shiro smirked in a way that did not make Captain Ukitake's statement seem true.

"He will be accompanying Kurosaki Ichigo to all of his classes, but he is absolutely not permitted to participate in any kind of combat class."

Once more, Professor Tsukino raised her hand.

"So you're ruling out Kidō, Zanjutsu, and Hakuda?" She asked.

"Yes. However, in the two classes that Kurosaki Shiro is participating in, he is not to be treated any differently than Kurosaki Ichigo. Any discrimination by the teachers is strongly discouraged."

The implications behind "strongly discouraged" were clear.

Ukitake made to speak again, but he was interrupted by a coughing fit. It took him a few moments to recover, and he quickly brushed off the concerned looks he was receiving.

"No need to worry, though your concern is appreciated. Now, are there any questions?"

The room was silent, prompting Ukitake to rephrase his question.

"Are there any questions that any of you wish to ask in private?"

Instantly, a multitude of hands shot up.

**"I'm taking that as my cue to leave," **Shiro muttered, standing up. Ichigo made a wordless noise of agreement and followed his inner hollow out of the barracks, ignoring the looks they were getting from the surrounding souls.

Before Ichigo could get that far, however, he was stopped by a strong sense of foreboding. Immediately, he turned, catching the foot that was flying towards his face with an impassive expression.

"Let go!" Kira shouted, trying to wrestle her foot from the orange-haired boy. Ichigo did so, his expression still neutral. Shiro stood slightly behind him, smirking.

Kira glared at the boy in front of her for a few moments, her frustration practically pouring off her.

Yes, she was angry with Ichigo. Why? Well, he hadn't warned her. And she'd let her _sister_ – her vulnerable, unassuming and innocent sister – be within the same room as a _Hollow_. Ichigo hadn't cared! Now he had the audacity to just stand there without moving, not bothering to explain himself!

So, Kira vented her feelings in the way she knew best: by beating the crap out of whatever was annoying her.

Kira's punches and kicks came in a dizzying flurry of motion, revealing that she had considerable natural talent in Hakuda. However, not a single one of her attacks was breaking through Ichigo's defense, and the boy hadn't shifted his stance or changed his expression the entire time.

After a few minutes, Kira stopped attacking, breathing heavily and exhausted.

Riku, who had arrived about half a minute prior with Mika, stared. He wondered why Ichigo had simply taken all of Kira's attacks, when he was clearly capable of getting her to stop. Instead, Ichigo had let Kira release all of her frustrations at once, accepting that he may get bruised in the process.

Unconsciously, Riku's grip on his youngest sister's hand tightened slightly at the sight of Shiro smirking. The hollow seemed to be enjoying the way Kira was attacking his twin, but when he saw Riku looking at him, his expression rapidly slipped to a scowl. Mika wasn't any help; she didn't say anything, and only stared at Shiro with wide eyes. There wasn't a trace of fear in her expression, and while Riku didn't see that, he did see Shiro's smirk switch to confusion, and then the hollow scowled even more deeply and turned away.

"Are you done?" Ichigo asked calmly, staring down at Kira. The girl was panting heavily, her head bowed and her blue hair obscuring her face.

In that moment, Ichigo let his guard down, and he paid for it. In a split second, Kira lashed out, catching Ichigo with a punch to the solar plexus, which was rapidly followed with a hard right hook to the face that sent the substitute Shinigami sprawling.

Shiro watched, his eyes narrowing. Ichigo easily could've dodged the second blow, but instead he chose to take the punishment. Needless to say, the Hollow couldn't understand why Ichigo would do something so stupid.

"Now I'm done," Kira growled, letting her hands fall back to her sides.

"Kira . . ." Riku muttered, looking at his sister. "There wasn't any need to – "

"Wasn't any need for what?" Kira snapped, irritated. "This idiot – " she gestured to Ichigo, who was picking himself up off the ground – "decided not to tell us that he was actually an insanely powerful Shinigami, and that his 'brother' is a fucking Hollow!"

"Quiet!" Riku hissed, clapping a hand over his sister's mouth just in time to muffle her last word. "You know we're not supposed to say anything, and watch your language!"

Kira slapped her brother's hand away, but some of her anger appeared to have abated.

"I think I can answer a few things," Ichigo stated, wiping off the small trickle of blood that had emerged from the split lip Kira's punch had given him.

"Go ahead," Kira ordered, eyes flashing. Riku, though he didn't seem as angry as his sister, clearly agreed with her attitude. Mika didn't say anything. Ichigo was having a difficult time reading the youngest Isuke sibling, but he pushed those thoughts aside for the time being.

"First off," Ichigo started, "I'm sorry for lying to you guys. There was no way you would've believed me, and I can't attend the Academy if every single student knows that I'm some kind of war hero. There would be pandemonium. I know they'll find out eventually, but I want to prolong that for as long as I can."

Kira's face reddened as she thought of the way she had just attacked Ichigo. Knowing the other students, they would've jumped at the opportunity to fight, or, in the case of some of the less mentally endowed girls, get close to Ichigo.

"Second, I'm not as strong as I usually am right now."

"What?" Kira and Riku asked simultaneously. A small, bitter smirk twisted Ichigo's lips.

"There's a reason that Shiro is manifested instead of being in my inner world. And before you ask, an inner world is the place where a person's Zanpakutō spirit resides within that Shinigami's consciousness. Anyway, when I defeated Aizen, the surrounding Reiatsu somehow pulled Shiro out, shut away the spirit of my Zanpakutō, and prevented Shiro from returning to my inner world."

No one noticed the way Shiro's scowl deepened as Ichigo talked, but the hollow was clearly not happy about the situation.

"Oh," was all Kira and Riku could say. Mika just smiled slightly; apparently, she wasn't the talking type, completely unlike her two siblings. On top of that, Ichigo wasn't sure if she was entirely sane.

Eventually, Riku cleared his throat.

"Did it hurt when you two were separated?" He asked quietly, genuine curiosity in his eyes mixed with a tiny amount of sympathy. Ichigo ignored that in favor of answering the question.

"Like hell," he replied flatly. He didn't add that he could no longer use bankai; he'd tried in the days leading up to the academy entrance exam, only to have nothing happen. After merging with Shiro, it seemed as though his Reiatsu had plummeted to levels below even that of what Ichigo needed in order to unlock his bankai.

_Zangetsu, where the hell are you?_ Ichigo wondered. He would have to try Jinzen on Sunday, when he didn't have to worry about classes. He knew that he didn't have Saturday classes because he wouldn't need the extra help, but most likely that would be the day that he met with Rukia, Renji, and the others to talk about anything important.

"Ichigo!"

Turning, Ichigo saw Captain Ukitake walking towards him.

"You guys should head back to the academy," Ichigo told Kira, Riku, and Mika. "There's probably a curfew, and we have to get up early tomorrow anyway."

They nodded – albeit somewhat reluctantly in the cases of Kira and Riku – and walked away.

"What is it you want to talk about, Captain?" Ichigo asked, looking at the approaching Shinigami.

"Just a few things now that I finished answering all those questions," Captain Ukitake replied amicably. "Now, I believe you need an escort to get back to the Academy, am I correct?"

Ichigo mentally cursed himself for forgetting about that rule. Behind him, Shiro snickered.

"Uh, yeah," Ichigo replied after a beat. "I forgot about that."

The captain of the Thirteenth Division smiled benignly.

"No need to worry. Your friends have already gained quite a lead; we can follow them at our leisure."

"You want to talk while Shiro and I go back to the Academy?"

"That would seem to be the case, yes."

Ichigo knew better than to try and refuse the captain; while Ichigo wanted to have a talk with Shiro, he knew it could wait. There were more important things to deal with.

"So, Captain," Ichigo said, giving Shiro a warning look as they began walking back. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Kisuke Urahara, as well as the others who are working on the problem of your Reiatsu, have managed to come up with a few ideas that I believe are worth sharing with you."

Ichigo's interest was immediately piqued.

"I'm listening."

"They have determined that the reason Shiro cannot return to your inner world is that his Reiatsu is no longer functioning in the way it was before, and neither is yours. To put it simply, your spirit energies are no longer in sync; or, in another way, they are no longer capable of balancing each other."

Ichigo frowned, thinking. Shiro's expression didn't change, but there was a strange gleam in his eye.

"So . . . the way for Shiro and me to, um, become 'whole' again would be for us to figure out how to get our Reiatsu back to the way it was before? Match it up or whatever?"

"I believe so, yes, though I was told that you would need to be under great stress for anything to directly affect your Reiryoku from the outside world. Also, Urahara has set up a remote training ground some distance away in the forest for you and Shiro to train on Saturdays and Sundays."

"Saturdays and Sundays? I thought they would want to run tests on one of those days."

"There will be observers on Saturdays," Ukitake said. "Therefore, those who are planning on watching you have asked me to request of you that you modify your training regimen so that you cause as little damage as possible."

Sighing, Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck.

"I guess that's the day I could try Jinzen," he muttered.

"That sounds like the best course of action. Jinzen should still provide more than enough information to those available."

**"Are you even going to ask me what I think of this?"** Shiro drawled sarcastically, knowing the answer before he even opened his mouth.

"No," Ichigo replied flatly. Captain Ukitake glanced between the two, a frown barely visible on his face, but the expression was gone the instant Ichigo looked back towards him.

"Ichigo, there is one other thing."

"Yeah?"

"In order for you to fully participate in the Academy's curriculum, you must find some way of sealing your Zanpakutō."

Ichigo outright stared at the captain before him, Shiro mirroring the expression.

"Seal it?" He asked, barely able to believe what he was hearing. "Captain, it's hard enough to stop it from manifesting!"

It was true. Ichigo was able to force his sword into his inner world, essentially storing the blade for when he needed to call it out, but the process was time-consuming, and, more importantly, it required massive amounts of Ichigo's remaining spirit energy. When he had called it out in the cell with Shiro, he hadn't noticed the drop in his spiritual energy due to his adrenaline, but it had undoubtedly been there. When Ichigo had tried to change his sword into spirit particles, knowing he'd be capable of calling it back from watching other Shinigami do it, his attempts had failed miserably.

"And," Ichigo added, "my Zanpakutō has always been in Shikai. I don't even know if it's capable of going into a sealed state!"

"I understand your concerns," Ukitake responded calmly. "You have weeks before even the Advanced Classes are willing to trust the students enough to hand out Asauchi. Take that time to train. You only need to hold that sealed state for the duration of the school day."

Ichigo scowled, and then shot an apologetic look to the captain while he reined in his frustration. Normally, he wouldn't feel this way, but from the way that Shiro was also scowling Ichigo could guess that neither of them were in full control of their emotions.

"Captain, if I somehow manage to seal my Zanpakutō – which I'm not even sure is possible – what am I going to do with it afterwards? I bet sealing it every morning, or even every few days and keeping it from going back into Shikai is going to drain my Reiryoku quickly, and I can't put the sword in my inner world every night. I'd run out of spirit energy in a week!"

Unfortunately, Ichigo wasn't exaggerating how taxing hiding his Zanpakutō was. Without Shiro in Ichigo's inner world, Ichigo had lost a fair portion of his spirit energy and was struggling to control what he had left. No doubt Shiro had similar problems, though they may have been slightly different considering that he was more hollow than Shinigami and he'd never said a word of complaint.

Though, Ichigo admitted to himself, considering Shiro's nature that last fact wasn't all that surprising.

"Considering that your roommate now knows your secret," Ukitake mused, "it would be conceivable to store your Zanpakutō in your room. If you wish, I can teach you some Hadō spells that would disguise the blade from prying eyes."

Smiling, Ichigo felt some of the pressure lift from his shoulders. Maybe he didn't have to be the one with all the answers after all.

"Thank you, Captain," Ichigo said with a small smile.

"No need to thank me, Ichigo," Captain Ukitake replied. "In any case, we appear to have arrived at the Academy. Just let me know if you need any help."

Surprised by the fact that they had already arrived, Ichigo glanced up and was met with the imposing structure of the main building of the Shin'ō Academy.

Ichigo started to say his goodbyes to the captain, but he stopped himself when he realized that Captain Ukitake was already gone.

**"You let him talk to you like that, and then he leaves without saying anything? You're about as difficult to walk over as a doormat, King."**

"Shut up," Ichigo snapped, walking towards the boys' dorms. "You're forgetting that you've got similar problems to me."

**"Unlike you," **Shiro retorted, **"I'm not a total idiot when it comes to spiritual pressure. I'm doing fine."**

Ichigo wisely decided not to comment on the fact that he had noticed the hollow's spiritual pressure dropping noticeably with each passing day due to the strain. It was the same for Ichigo.

With a sigh, Ichigo dragged his thoughts away from Shiro.

He was too tired to deal with him right now.

* * *

_A/N and we've revealed how Ichigo can get back to being powerful: through the power of . . . feelings!_

_Seriously?_

_You'll see why it's important later. I can guarantee that the main plot for this story is going to get kicked into high gear soon, since I don't want to run this story too long. It's already kind of boring from the lack of action, though I have tried to put some more in the upcoming chapters._

_Review responses:_

**_Guest:_**_ Rukia's always been smart. Whether she's right or not is a whole other matter . . ._

**_Krazyfanfiction1:_**_ Shiro will probably show up in the reaction chapters simply because it's too good of an opportunity to pass up. However, I have a plan for after the characters finish reading this fic . . . *rubs hands together like a cliche villain and grins*_

_Those were the only two reviews . . . so . . ._

_-RoR_

_Coming up: Ichigo's Inner World (or __alliteration. Whichever.)_

_Please review. Only answering two is kind of boring, though I _do_ appreciate everyone who does review! Especially you, Krazyfanfiction1, since you've reviewed every chapter so far!_


	17. Chapter 17

_So this is out a few hours earlier than I planned but complications tomorrow forced my hand . . ._

_*looks at reviews for previous chapter*_

_*chokes*_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

* * *

Chapter 17

The rest of the week passed without major incident. The expulsion of the three bullies who had cornered Mika finally came to the surface, but no student was able to find out exactly who had been responsible for the devastating injuries each boy had sustained. Luckily for Ichigo, the three boys had been banned from the Seireitei – with a personal escort by a certain red-haired lieutenant – before anyone could ask any pointed questions.

When Kira questioned Ichigo about it, the boy simply replied that he had done what was necessary.

For some reason, Shiro seemed to find that explanation extremely amusing.

Ichigo continued to dominate every other student in each of his classes save Kidō. In that class, he was ashamed to admit, even Riku was beating him. Fortunately, Ichigo was able to ignore all of the taunts that Shiro threw his way, and had a more than fun time beating his inner Hollow at tag.

Needless to say, Shiro was not happy that day.

In fact, as Saturday drew near, Shiro's mood gradually worsened, until he was scowling more than Ichigo ever had. When questioned about it, Shiro rudely suggested ways for Ichigo to find out for himself.

When Saturday finally reared its head, Rukia and Renji met Ichigo a ways outside the Academy. After Ichigo explained the situation to them, the Isuke siblings elected to stay behind, with Riku saying that they had extra classes they wanted to attend anyway.

Ichigo ended up racing Renji and Rukia to the predetermined training ground – a forgotten field set far into the forest, designed for captains to practice – and, to his surprise and frustration, he lost. Shiro wasn't helping, since anyone near him could practically see the way his Hollow Reiatsu twisted and stormed around him.

"Hey, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, catching his breath.

_Am I really this weak? I know I lost a lot of my Reiatsu because of my split with Shiro, but this is ridiculous! I didn't rely on his powers this much!_

"What is it?" Rukia queried, snapping Ichigo out of his thoughts.

"I was just wondering about what happened to Gin," Ichigo said. He didn't miss the way Rukia and Renji tensed slightly at the mention of his name. Tragic hero or no, Gin had still murdered countless people while he was working with Aizen. "I never found that out, and honestly it's been bugging me lately."

"Gin . . . was punished," Renji said carefully. "Only the Captains are permitted to know the full extent of the repercussions, but Gin didn't get off lightly."

"What about Matsumoto?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think the lieutenant is allowed to visit his location once a week," Rukia mused. "Though I don't know for sure."

Ichigo, Rukia, and Renji settled into a comfortable silence, with Shiro lagging behind and refusing to speak.

The first thought that Ichigo had when he walked onto the practice field was: _this place is huge_. Even Zaraki Kenpachi, infamous captain of the Eleventh Division, notorious for causing large amounts of destruction when he fought, would have difficulty destroying the entire area on his own.

The second thought that Ichigo had when he walked onto the practice field was: _this place is crowded_. At first glance Ichigo counted well over fifty Shinigami surrounding the field, and he could even see Captain Kurotsuchi, though he looked like he wanted to dissect Ichigo rather than simply watch him. The substitute Shinigami tried to ignore the various sharp implements that the captain was carrying in favor of complaining out loud.

"Does the captain of creepiness really have to be here?" Ichigo muttered. Even Shiro looked distinctly unhappy that the mad scientist was there.

"Considering that he's smarter than you by leagues, yes," Rukia answered, only her status as a noble preventing her from blatantly rolling her eyes. Ichigo scowled, but didn't offer any more complaints, much to Rukia's relief.

The female Shinigami had been feeling much more tired than normal lately. It hadn't started as anything noticeable; the occasional yawn here and there, and maybe a little more difficulty waking up than what she usually had to deal with, but the problem was slowly getting worse. _At this rate_, Rukia thought while suppressing another yawn, _I'll need to visit the Fourth Division just to see if something is wrong._

"Ah, Kurosaki!"

Ichigo winced when Kisuke Urahara appeared in front of him, the shopkeeper's infamous fan obscuring the lower half of the man's face. Not one to beat around the bush, Ichigo got directly to the point.

"What do you want me to do, Urahara?" He asked, still not comfortable with the idea of using anything but the shopkeeper's last name. It seemed that Urahara didn't mind either, since his suspiciously innocent expression didn't change in the slightest.

"My my, Kurosaki. There's no need to be rude."

Ichigo simply raised an eyebrow at the man in front of him, not feeling in the mood for Urahara's strange quirks. Sighing, Urahara realized that he wouldn't get to toy with Kurosaki today. _What a shame. He is fun to tease . . . if only Yoruichi was here._

"Well, Kurosaki, all you and your inner Hollow need to do is go to the middle of the field and attempt to perform Jinzen. Try not to panic if you see multiple Bakudō appear around you," Urahara added as an afterthought.

Ichigo and Shiro glanced at each other, expressions unreadable, and then began walking out onto the field. Most of the souls there already knew that the famed war hero had arrived; Ichigo's lack of control over his Reiatsu – even though he was doing a passable job of suppressing it at the moment, and he was at reduced strength – made it more than clear that Ichigo was nearby. Adding onto the fact that those present were sworn to secrecy over Ichigo's identity, Ichigo didn't think there would be a problem of one of the Shinigami present talking too much and possibly blowing Ichigo's cover at the Academy. The instruments that were being used to monitor the substitute Shinigami were being calibrated even as Ichigo and Shiro walked, having been designed specifically to handle large amounts of spiritual pressure.

Thanks to Zaraki, most equipment had been modified at the risk of being crushed under intense Reiatsu.

"So how do you want to do this?" Ichigo asked, glancing at his white counterpart. "Since you're technically, well, _me_, I'm guessing this is going to be more difficult than normal."

Shiro somehow managed to continue scowling even as he spoke, though it was clear that his anger wasn't directed at Ichigo.

**"'S not really my problem, King. You're the one who's dealing with this crap anyway. I just got dragged along for the ride."**

"So? You're going to have to help too. You're a piece of me, so we'll probably have to try Jinzen at the same time."

Wordlessly, Ichigo reached his hand forward and, after a moment of concentration, Zangetsu materialized in his hand, wrapped in the familiar bandage-like cloth.

**"Whatever."**

Despite how unexcited he no doubt was, Shiro copied Ichigo's actions, quickly summoning an inverted form of Zangetsu, wrapped in black bandages.

Those simple actions caused both boys' Reiatsu to rise, though not as much as anyone was expecting.

Examining some equipment, Urahara's eyes narrowed. _Interesting . . ._

Back in the center of the field, Ichigo sat down in a meditative position, laying Zangetsu across his lap. Shiro mirrored the movement. Before they closed their eyes, however, the two saw multiple high-level Bakudō spells shimmer into being in the air around them. If Ichigo didn't know better, he would've thought that Hacchi was there, not that anyone present came close to his skill in Bakudō.

Dragging his focus away from the glowing orange barrier that had appeared around him, Ichigo glanced over at Shiro, who was regarding him with something approaching . . .

Shiro wiped the expression off his face before Ichigo had time to interpret it.

**"Are we going to do this, or are you going to sit there like an idiot?"**

"I was about to ask you the same question."

**"Che. Sure."**

Looking eerily similar to one another, Ichigo and Shiro closed their eyes. Immediately, their Reiatsu spiked before settling. In less than a minute, it seemed that both were unconscious, though they remained in their meditative poses. Just to check, Urahara picked up a nearby pebble and threw it straight at Ichigo, unconsciously making a slight gap in the Bakudō he had thrown up. As soon as he even started the motion, Captain Mayuri was already looking in Urahara's direction, eyes narrowing.

The stone bounced off Ichigo's forehead, not even leaving a mark due to the boy's strong Reiatsu shielding him.

"Kisuke Urahara!" Captain Mayuri screeched. "I will not have you defiling my experiment with your petty games! If you must be stupid, please do it somewhere else. Nemu! Remove this filth from the experiment grounds at once!"

"I hate to disappoint, Mayuri," Kisuke said calmly, hiding his barely noticeable smirk behind his fan. The shopkeeper intentionally left out the usual respectful practice of saying "captain" simply because he knew it would get on his fellow scientist's nerves, not to mention that Urahara had been a captain as well at one point, and Mayuri his subordinate. "But Head Captain Yamamoto has ordered me to stay and monitor Kurosaki for the duration of this situation. Therefore, I think I'll stick around, but I do appreciate your suggestion."

Kisuke got the feeling that, had Mayuri's face not been covered in the weird kind of make up that he wore, it would have been red. With a huff, the captain spun on his heel and turned away, his robotic lieutenant following close on his heels.

With a barely audible sigh, Urahara turned his attention back to the substitute Shinigami. Despite all that he had seen in his lifetime, Urahara still found it hard to believe that Ichigo had somehow gotten himself into a situation where his inner hollow – something that the Visored had assured Urahara in the early years was hostile and violent in the extreme – was manifested and, even more ridiculous, _passive_. Now, Urahara wasn't dumb. He knew full well that without Ichigo around Shiro would likely go on a rampage, though with the issue of his Reiatsu Urahara couldn't be sure.

And that was the crux of the matter. If Ichigo and Shiro's Reiatsu was at its usual state, the two should be able to return to normal, with Shiro going back into Ichigo's soul. It was only natural, after all, for a piece of a separated soul to want to become whole again. Hollows were a prime example of that, and though Ichigo's inner hollow was obviously different there were clearly similarities.

_I wonder . . . is it Ichigo's Shinigami powers that prevent his inner hollow from feeding on the souls of those around him? Could they be stopping that "hunger"?_

Urahara vowed to do more research as soon as he was able, though he had no doubt that Kurosaki would not be a willing participant in any such research.

_And my methods aren't nearly as bad as Mayuri's!_

_"You did turn the boy into a hollow," _the soft voice of Benihime reminded its wielder. Urahara grinned slightly. It wasn't often that he and Benihime talked; after all, the sword was almost constantly in its sealed state, which meant that holding a conversation was that much more difficult. Also, Benihime was typically not one for being subtle or polite.

_There were some unexpected complications with his Shattered Shaft training,_ Urahara admitted, keeping his expression on the outside neutral. He heard his Zanpakutō spirit scoff.

_"Unexpected? You knew exactly what was going to happen. You did it on _purpose_, Kisuke."_

_He needed to be stronger._

_"But did you ever think of the consequences?"_

_Sacrifice had to be made. You know that as well as anyone. Ichigo knew full well what he was getting into._

Unsurprisingly, Benihime offered no response. Urahara knew that she had retreated back into the depths of his inner world, waiting until her wielder needed her.

_Hopefully that won't be for a long time._

* * *

Ichigo's eyes opened slowly, revealing to him the landscape of his inner world. As he'd come to expect, Ichigo was seated on the side of a skyscraper while clouds drifted across the sky above him, seemingly going sideways. It seemed peaceful, and there was only a slight breeze despite the altitude. However, Ichigo was getting the distinct impression that there was something very, very wrong.

Carefully, Ichigo got to his feet, noting that Zangetsu was strapped to his back, cloth and all. For a moment, he stayed still, contemplating his options.

_Well, when in doubt, explore._

For the first time, Ichigo began walking down in his inner world. Usually, when he came to this place, it was to train or – in more recent cases – to try not to get killed by the joined spirits of his Zanpakutō and inner hollow. Ichigo tried not to wince at the memory and failed miserably. No matter how he looked at it, that battle had been one of the most difficult things he'd ever done, even including the original battle that Ichigo had had with his inner Hollow.

Speaking of his inner Hollow, Ichigo glanced around, wondering where Shiro was. The hollow was nowhere in sight, and Ichigo wasn't sure whether to interpret that as a good thing or a bad thing, since Shiro was technically a part of Ichigo. In fact, now that Ichigo was paying more attention to his surroundings, he began to see just how damaged his soul actually was.

The skyscrapers, while still standing tall, were deteriorating. Occasionally, a chunk of material would fall from the walls, spiraling downwards, never making a sound to indicate that it had hit bottom. More than a few of the windows were cracked and broken, and there were even entire roofs that had collapsed, though they were rare.

Eyes narrowing as he examined the state of his inner world, Ichigo picked up the pace, getting the feeling that whatever he was looking for was at the bottom. The sooner he could get there without falling, the better. No matter how many times Ichigo travelled to his inner world, he could never quite get used to the sideways orientation.

_It's better than the sunken town that it was last time. I'm not in the mood to learn how to breathe underwater again._

Ichigo's steps echoed hollowly in the empty landscape. The lack of movement besides crumbling buildings was nothing short of creepy.

Acting on instinct, Ichigo caught some debris that was falling past him. For a moment, it seemed like nothing more than a chunk of concrete. However, as Ichigo watched, the piece began to disintegrate until there was nothing left.

_What the hell?_

Clearly, there was something way more wrong with Ichigo's soul than what he had first thought. Unfortunately, the substitute Shinigami had no idea what was wrong. Urahara hadn't exactly mentioned anything to look for. _And knowing him, he would just laugh in my face if I tried to ask._

More debris fell past Ichigo, uncomfortably close to his head. It vanished into the darkness below. Eyes narrowing further, Ichigo realized that there was some kind of fog forming the closer he got to the bottom of the skyscraper.

_That was definitely not there before._

"Zangetsu!" Ichigo yelled on a whim, getting the distinct feeling that there would be no answer. Sure enough, the name of the Zanpakutō echoed depressingly among the ruined buildings, eventually fading to silence. _Where the hell is Shiro?_

Ichigo knew that, because Shiro was still a piece of Ichigo's soul, the Hollow should end up in the same inner world. However, Shiro was nowhere to be seen.

_Does he just end up in a different place than me?_

A crack pulled Ichigo out of his thoughts and he shifted his weight just enough to avoid falling into a window that shattered beneath him. The glass soon fragmented into nothing, a process that Ichigo was more than familiar with at this point. Sighing, Ichigo ran a hand through his hair and looked around again, trying to see through the fog that was gradually rising in his inner world.

_Whatever's going on with my Reiatsu obviously isn't helping here,_ Ichigo mused. _But it feels like there's something else . . . like something changed._

Vaguely, Ichigo recalled Urahara telling him something about Ichigo's Reiatsu being out of sync or different than normal.

_Maybe this is what he was referring to._

Taking a few more steps, Ichigo realized that the fog was beginning to thicken. At this rate, it was going to completely blind Ichigo before he could even see the bottom of the skyscrapers.

Suddenly, a loud noise shattered the silence that had permeated the area. Startled, Ichigo glanced beneath his feet, where the sound had originated. Below him, the window was cracked, but not from the outside.

_What . . .?_

Thinking quickly, Ichigo broke the glass beneath him with a well-placed kick and dropped down into the interior of the building. It was completely dark, minus the small amount of light that dribbled in from the broken window, and even with Ichigo's eyes adjusting the boy could barely see anything.

The sound repeated itself and this time Ichigo was able to identify what it was: screaming, until the noise was abruptly cut off.

Ichigo took off at a fast pace through the seeming emptiness that was the building, instinctively knowing that he was heading down. This time, there was no fog, not that Ichigo would've been able to see it either way. Even so Ichigo was forced to move more slowly than he would've liked in order to avoid falling through any areas that were particularly eroded.

Another scream pierced the silence, so loud it made Ichigo wince. At the same time, Ichigo recognized the scream; it had the distinct double tones of his inner Hollow.

"Shiro!" Ichigo yelled, picking up the pace.

As he ran Ichigo was finally able to pick up the barest traces of Shiro's spiritual pressure, despite the fact that it was so faint it might as well have been nothing. Just as Ichigo thought he had reached where Shiro's screams were coming from, a flash of blue light momentarily blinded Ichigo. With a muttered curse, Ichigo shielded his eyes, reaching out his spiritual sense to see if there was something he was missing.

However, the light only grew to blinding proportions, and in an instant Ichigo felt a strange sense of disconnect that alerted him to the fact that he was being forced from his inner world.

* * *

Shiro's eyes snapped open and he fell forward onto his hands and knees, abruptly breaking any semblance of meditation that he had managed to achieve. Immediately, his right hand went to his neck, where he could still feel the chilling grip of those goddamn chains biting into his skin. Already, the Hollow's breathing was calming; though perspiration lined his brow, and a second later he managed to push himself into a sitting position. _Fucking hell. I knew that would happen . . . I knew it. So why the fuck did I listen to him? Why did I go back?_

The hollow scowled at the still-unconscious form of Ichigo, somehow pinning the blame on the orange-haired boy before him. _Why are you the King? What the hell makes you so special?_

The thoughts gave Shiro pause, but he knew the answer. Ichigo was the King because Shiro had lost to him. _Not once_, the hollow thought bitterly, _but twice, and then he goes and fucks up again!_

Ichigo suddenly groaned and his eyes slowly opened. For a few seconds, they were unfocused, but Ichigo soon pulled himself back into reality.

"My head . . ." He muttered, somehow managing to scowl and wince at the same time.

**"Hurts like a bitch, doesn't it?"** Shiro commented sarcastically, no doubt feeling a similar sensation to the skull-cracking pain that was running rampant in Ichigo's head.

"Pretty much," Ichigo affirmed, slowly climbing to his feet. He wasn't sore, which meant that he probably hadn't been performing Jinzen for very long. Then again, he had spent three months in the Dangai doing just that, so it was hard to tell.

Quickly, he ran his mind back over what had happened in his inner world, quickly solidifying the memories before any had a chance to get away. Shiro watched, knowing what was coming next and hating that he was going to have to answer the questions that Ichigo was going to ask. _I hate being the fucking horse._

"Shiro," Ichigo eventually said, looking up at his inner hollow, eyes wide. His hollow eye was exposed, and it carried just as much confusion as his normal one. "What the hell was that?"

**"Che. Your inner world, idiot."**

"I know that! But why is it crumbling? And why did I hear you screaming?"

**"I wasn't screaming," **Shiro growled. **"I woke up, it was dark. Then there was a flash of blue light and we're out here. That's all I know."**

Ichigo scowled, knowing that Shiro was leaving something out, but not knowing how to press for information.

"Kurosaki!"

Leaving the matter of Shiro's lack of information for a later time, Ichigo turned to see Urahara approaching, his trademark fan spread over the lower half of his face.

"Urahara. What's up?"

"Currently, me."

Kisuke Urahara easily dodged the rock that Ichigo threw at him in response. Ironically, it was the very same rock that Urahara had thrown at the substitute Shinigami previously.

"Not in the mood," Ichigo growled. "I just got kicked out of my inner world and now my head's killing me. Please tell me you got at least something from that, Urahara."

"You'll be very happy to know that I did, Kurosaki!" Urahara replied brightly. "In fact, the results are very promising!"

"I only did it once."

"And you will do it many more times today, which should further prove that your condition is rather quite fixable!"

**"I am not a condition," **Shiro muttered. For some reason, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu upon saying those words, but his head hurt too badly for him to think about the feeling in any depth.

"Hold on a sec, Urahara. I have to do this again?"

"Ya did it for three months, Kurosaki. I'm sure you can manage it for another ten minutes."

"I was only in my inner world for _ten minutes_?"

Urahara's fan snapped shut and his aura abruptly became more serious. "All things considered, Kurosaki, I'm amazed you made it to your inner world in the first place. As you should know by now, the Shinigami's inner world is created by Shinigami and houses their Zanpakutō."

"And each one is special to every Shinigami, yeah, I know," Ichigo replied, scowling. "What's this got to do with anything?"

"Ah, well, the inner world is also the reflection of the Shinigami's soul. Rather, the state of their soul. Do you remember what happened to your inner world during your training in the Shattered Shaft?"

Ichigo's scowl deepened considerably at the memory. "Yeah. It was crumbling. If I hadn't gotten my Shinigami powers when I did it would've been destroyed and I would've become a Hollow."

**"You would've become me," **Shiro corrected with a slight, somewhat sadistic smirk.

"And we all know what happens when we both lose control, because, if I'm remembering right, you were _just born_," Ichigo snapped, the memory of Ulquiorra surfacing at the mention of losing control. _I lost myself and then I hurt Orihime and I stabbed Uryū and I nearly – _Ichigo snapped out of those thoughts, knowing full well where they would lead. He'd already seen his inner world flooded once. He didn't need to see it again.

"An-y-way," Urahara interrupted before Shiro could say anything, his usual brightness in his tone coming back, strangely at odds with the serious expression on his face. "What you experienced in the Shattered Shaft, Ichigo, was a direct representation of your soul in your inner world. Now, what was your inner world like now? As smart as I know I am – "

**"And modest," **Shiro commented almost inaudibly.

" – I can't find a way to see into your inner world. So I'll need you to describe it to me, in as few words as possible."

Ichigo's brows drew together while he quickly formulated an answer. "It was . . . breaking. Slowly. I guess crumbling is a better word."

Urahara raised an eyebrow, silently reminding Ichigo of his "as few words as possible" request.

Scowling, Ichigo spoke the last word that came to mind. "Disintegrating. My inner world is disintegrating."

All Shinigami within earshot paled.

The legendary Kurosaki Ichigo . . . was dying?

"Kurosaki, let me put this simply," Urahara said, his expression somehow growing even graver. "Your Reiryoku is collapsing in on itself."

"Collaps – what?"

Even Shiro was caught off guard by the bluntness in Urahara's statement.

"Without your inner Hollow's Reiryoku supporting your own, Kurosaki, the Reiryoku you have left is unstable. If . . . Shiro . . . had not stabilized both of your spirit energies back in that prison cell, you likely would've died already."

Ichigo's eyes were empty with shock, the expression mirrored to a slightly lesser degree on his inner Hollow's face.

"I . . . would've died?" Ichigo managed in a strangled voice.

"Yep. But don't worry; as long as you don't expend a large amount of Reiryoku, the destabilization process should be slowed considerably. How quickly was your inner world falling apart, from your point of view?"

"Don't you have machines for that?"

Urahara leveled Ichigo with a withering glare. "I've already stated that I have not come across anything capable of seeing into a Shinigami's inner world." _Of course, it would be very cool if I had . . ._ Urahara quickly pulled his mind away from such musings, but tucked the idea away in the part of his brain reserved for such industrious projects and ideas. "I can see the state of your Reiatsu clearly enough, and the machines give a detailed read on your Reiryoku as well as your physical health. But they can't get a real read on your soul."

Sighing, Ichigo ran his hand through his hair and stared up at the sky, thinking.

"I guess . . . slowly. There were a few caved-in skyscrapers, but not many, and it was crumbling in really small chunks."

Urahara nodded, filing the information away in some section of his brain that somehow managed to keep track of everything that he shoved into it. Perhaps it was that quality that made him a genius. That, or the fact that most of the people he met would willingly label him as completely insane.

Kurosaki Ichigo would be the first on that list.

"Well, Kurosaki," Urahara said, the usual cheer returning to his voice. Immediately, Ichigo was on guard. "Time to try again! This time, you need to try and find the part of your inner world where your Zanpakutō is."

"How do you know it's missing?" Ichigo asked with a frown. Urahara raised an eyebrow.

"It's not 'missing', Kurosaki. Otherwise your soul would already be much more of a mess than it currently is. However, your Zanpakutō spirit might know a way to fix this situation before it gets any worse. Therefore, you need to find it."

"But I don't know where Zangetsu is! He hasn't spoken to me since before I fought with Aizen!"

Urahara silenced Ichigo with a cool stare.

"No one said that your spirit energy collapsing in on itself would be fun, Kurosaki. You need to find your Zanpakutō spirit, preferably quickly."

Sighing, Ichigo resigned himself to going back into his inner world. He had no idea if Zangetsu would be in any of the buildings, so maybe Ichigo should just try and reach the ground first.

"Hey, Shiro?"

**"What?"** The hollow's tone was undeniably frosty. Even Hyōrinmaru would've been jealous.

"Are you going to help me look this time?"

**"I don't have a choice, King. If I don't, I die."**

Shiro's eyes closed, clearly closing off any further discussion. Recognizing that, Ichigo's thoughts went in a radically different direction.

"Hey, Urahara?"

"What is it?"

"Where's Captain Creepy?"

"Oh, you mean Mayuri? He and his lieutenant are, ah, indisposed at the moment. They'll be back eventually. Now meditate; we've got the rest of the day to try and slow down your dying."

With that blunt statement, Kisuke Urahara began walking away, his hat pulled over his eyes and his fan hiding the mischievous grin plastered across his features.

* * *

"URAHARA!"

"Scans indicate that Kisuke Urahara is not within hearing distance, sir."

"NEMU YOU ARE COMPLETELY _USELESS_!"

"Noted, Master Mayuri."

"HOW ARE YOU UNABLE TO CUT THESE ROPES, YOU BRAT?!"

"Urahara has disabled most of my motor functions, Master Mayuri."

"DAMN YOU KISUKE!"

* * *

"Head Captain Yamamoto!"

"Speak, Captain Suì-Fēng."

"A report has come in from the Maggots Nest, sir. The Zanpakutō you were asking about . . . sir, it's not there. I had my men check every single locked storage space for all of the confiscated Zanpakutō, but – "

"I understand, Captain," Yamamoto interrupted gravely, immediately silencing the head of the Second Division.

Suddenly, another man appeared in the room via Shunpo. His head was bowed, but he trembled. Whatever news he carried, it was not good.

"Speak," Yamamoto ordered.

"S-sir," the man stammered, bowing. The hand that he was using to support himself was clenched into a fist. "A report just came in from Muken."

At the mere mention of the prison, all noise and motion in the room seemed to halt, just for a moment. The messenger continued regardless of that lapse, seemingly desperate to get the news out of his mouth.

"It's _him_, sir. He's gone."

The Head Captain's eyes opened fractionally. Unseen by the messenger, but noticed by Captain Suì-Fēng, Yamamoto's hands tightened around the gnarled staff that was Ryūjin Jakka. When the head of the First Division spoke, his tone was final and left no room for argument. His orders were to be followed without question.

"Commence a sweep of all known areas of Muken. Examine each level, and do not leave until you are positive that the level is clear. I want all military units on alert for any suspicious individuals; if there is any behavior that appears unusual, I want to be alerted at once."

Captain Suì-Fēng's eyes widened at that statement.

"You want to deal with this personally, Head Captain?"

As Yamamoto answered, his voice was heavy with an emotion that no one in the room could identify.

"I may be the only one who is able to."

* * *

_A/N What could possibly worry the Head Captain like that besides Aizen . . .? How about . . . the villain I made up!_

_Anyway, we've got a more detailed explanation on Ichigo's situation (he's dying, no surprise there), more hints with his inner __Hollow (because, really, if you haven't figured out that I'm doing the "real Zangetsu" thing here, I'm kind of out of options), and Urahara being a mischievous bastard (at Mayuri's expense, of course)._

_I wonder where 'Zangetsu' is?_

_**Reviews:**  
_

**_Krazyfanfiction1: _**_Thank you! I hope you enjoy reading as always!_

**_PaRaM0rE-0394: _**_Ichigo's inner Hollow is my favorite, too, and I'm happy that you're enjoying my story!_

**_arelia22: _**_ Thank you for reviewing, and I'd also like to point out that I'm reading your story _The ending that never came_. The story's interesting._

**_Guest (1):_**_ I've had the same problem searching for stories that feature Ichigo's inner Hollow . . . ironically enough, that was one thing that convinced me to write this._

**_Ermilus: _**_I answered that above, but for the sake of clarity, yes, Shiro will be the true Zangetsu in this story._

**_Guest (2):_**_ I had a little bit of a hard time understanding what you were trying to say in your review, so here's my best guess. No, Ichigo will not continue to "ignore" Shiro. Kira is a bit self-centered, but not as much as you'd think, and she is actually truly grateful to Ichigo for everything he's done. I didn't try to paint her as annoying, but if that's how you see her, that's your business._

_There were so many reviews last chapter compared to my other ones, which was amazing, and you guys gave really good feedback! Huge thank you to everyone who reviewed!_

_Fun fact: something _really_ interesting happens in the next reaction chapter. And by interesting, I mean Urahara's special kind of interesting, not including the man himself._

_-RoR_

_Coming up (this time it's a teaser!): _**"Pathetic," **Shiro snarled, readying his own blade. **"Getsuga Tenshō."**

**Please review.**


	18. Chapter 18

_I _hate_ AP European History. No offense to Europe, of course. The summer work for the class just sucks, since it's seriously cutting into my writing time._

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach._**

* * *

Chapter 18

"Hey, Ichigo? Are you okay?"

"No. Go away, Riku."

"I can't; we're kind of rooming together if you haven't noticed."

"I _really _don't care right now. Go talk to your sisters or something."

Riku was about to point out that his sisters were busy exploring the Seireitei nearby, using some of their older brother's money that he had scavenged from his time in the Rukongai, but was interrupted.

**"Just listen to him,"** another voice groaned from the top bunk. Riku's expression filled with disbelief when he realized that Shiro was just as indisposed as Ichigo; and with the recent revelations that Shiro was a hollow, Riku's surprise only grew. Now he was beginning to see why it was so easy to pass the two off as brothers.

At this point, Riku was still unable to fully process that the tired, barely responsive form in front of him was _the _Kurosaki Ichigo, the one who had defeated Aizen and ended the traitorous captain's reign of terror over Soul Society. At least Kira had gotten past the beat-the-crap-out-of-Ichigo phase, which certainly helped to improve Riku's mood. While he and Kira usually had a good relationship as brother and sister, Riku was having difficulty dealing with some of Kira's eccentric attitudes.

At least Mika didn't seem to care.

With a sigh, Riku went through the few possessions he had with him to try and see if he had any money left. Since it was Sunday, he had some time off, and he wanted to go and find his sisters. Clearly, whatever "training" Ichigo had done the previous day had completely wiped the boy out, and Riku was in no way eager to press for details. Without another word, he pocketed the small sum of money he'd found and left the room, closing the door softly behind him. Ichigo heard his footsteps recede down the hallway and barely stopped himself from letting out a sigh of relief.

His whole body hurt, and it wasn't a simple kind of ache or soreness. The feeling that wracked Ichigo's mind and body was on a deeper level, something that couldn't be remedied by painkillers or healing Kidō; Ichigo had found that out the hard way when Rukia tried to heal him after his training.

Ichigo shuddered at the memory of the previous day. At first, entering his inner world had been simple; go in, search while hearing Shiro scream, get kicked out by a weird blue light and have Shiro deny the fact that he had been screaming. Easy, right?

Wrong.

After the first attempt, it took Ichigo twice as long to get into his inner world. While it still looked the same as it had minutes earlier, the wind had picked up and, as Ichigo went down, the fog rose up to meet him even more quickly than it had in his previous attempt. More than once Ichigo had been hit in the back by falling debris, prompting some very pained and annoyed curses.

Around Ichigo's fourth attempt, he finally managed to meet up with Shiro while in his inner world. The hollow had burst out of a window, breathing hard and with a wild look in his eyes. The customary manic expression on his face was gone. For a moment, Ichigo could've sworn that his inner hollow was afraid, but the feeling was gone the moment Shiro saw Ichigo. After that, the two worked together – in the loosest sense of the word – to try and find Zangetsu. Well, Ichigo looked. He wasn't too sure about Shiro; every time Ichigo was kicked out of his inner world, Shiro looked like he'd been run over by a train. Of course, no matter how Ichigo pressed for details, Shiro refused to answer, instead saying something like, "the building was making weird noises and it might've been collapsing". It was a bad excuse and both Ichigo and Shiro knew it, but neither one wanted to keep talking.

Ichigo knew he was missing something, but he felt too mentally drained to think of anything. And that blue light . . . it was reminiscent of a Getsuga Tenshō, if slightly more diluted.

Yet, with each failed attempt, the dark cloud that Shiro had been carrying the entire week was slowly lifting. By the end of the training session, Shiro was back to normal, if slightly more subdued.

Ichigo almost wished that he would go back to brooding. At least then he was easier to handle.

But for the moment, both boys were exhausted. Well, kind of.

"We have to train more," Ichigo groaned, turning over slightly. He heard an unintelligible grunt from above that could be either a yes or a no. "Hey. Are you listening?"

To get Shiro's attention, Ichigo hit the bottom of the bunk above him with enough force to make the entire frame shudder. _Whoops_.

**"Don't do that again."**

"We have to train," Ichigo repeated, completely ignoring the implicit threat that Shiro had just delivered.

**"_You_ have to train. I can't fight, remember?"**

Ichigo laughed dryly.

"Even you can't destroy that training area so easily. Plus, maybe training will help with the whole spirit energy thing."

Even as Ichigo found ways to convince Shiro to get up – arguments that the Substitute Shinigami also used on himself – Ichigo thought about the strange feeling he'd had ever since he had woken up after fighting Aizen. It was a shadowy feeling, one that slipped further away the more Ichigo tried to focus on it. While that made Ichigo frustrated, he'd had a while to focus. _Something's missing._

It was the only explanation, and Ichigo was determined to figure out exactly what those two words meant, because it was clear that there was more to the problem of Ichigo's inner hollow than met the eye.

Either way, Ichigo was going to train, and figure out things from there. He hadn't needed a real plan to invade the Soul Society, and he didn't need one now. He just needed to get stronger, and find a way to be whole again.

* * *

The familiar training ground stretched in front of Ichigo and Shiro, undisturbed except for a light breeze that spoke of the coming winter. Ichigo had barely beaten Shiro on the way there, and he was reminded more than ever of how terrible he had become. Even with the training in the Dangai, Ichigo's loss of power had completely thrown off his coordination and obliterated his usual skills.

At this point, he would struggle against a sixth seat, and Shiro would be no better. Even his flash step could barely keep up with Rukia's and Renji's.

"Let's do this," Ichigo muttered, holding out one hand. He concentrated, focusing and _pulling_ from his inner world. The Reishi in the air condensed, and then formed the famous sword Zangetsu. The cleaver-like blade flashed in the sunlight, and Ichigo sheathed it across his back as the bandages wrapped around the weapon.

Shiro copied his double and the inverted version of Zangetsu materialized. Ichigo barely stopped himself from tensing upon seeing the weapon; no matter how manageable and nonviolent Shiro had been in the past few weeks, Ichigo still couldn't bring himself to trust the hollow, especially since Shiro now had a weapon in his hands. There was an innate sense of fear that refused to be shaken lingering in Ichigo's mind.

"How are we going to do this?" Ichigo mused thoughtfully. "We probably shouldn't lead with an armed spar . . . Um, what about Hakuda?"

**"Why not use swords?"**

"Because I'd rather not get decapitated, and I'm pretty sure half the Gotei 13 would have a heart attack if they realized that we were fighting out here without supervision."

**"We don't need babysitters, King."**

"Right now we do, so suck it up."

**"But-"**

"Suck. It. Up. We'll spar with swords later, when we've got a grip on the limits of our abilities. I don't want to know what happens when we both lose control of our spirit energy."

Shiro scowled, but he seemed appeased by the idea that he would be able to fight Ichigo at full strength at least once that day.

**"So what are we doing until then?"**

Ichigo grinned and then vanished in a flash of Shunpo. Shiro ducked and rolled away, narrowly avoiding the roundhouse kick that whistled through the area that his head had been in a moment earlier.

"Does that answer your question?" Ichigo asked with a smirk, returning to a fighting stance after discarding Zangetsu. "Zanjutsu can be put on hold; we're going to fight with our fists."

A matching smirk slowly appeared on Shiro's face as the hollow processed that he could beat the crap out of his king without even needing his Zanpakutō, and he removed the sword from his back. All of the excess energy and bloodlust that the hollow had been keeping suppressed throughout the week suddenly exploded and spread rapidly around Shiro's body, highlighting him in a red and black aura. A matching blue aura flared around Ichigo, and their spiritual pressure began to distort the air even as the two fighters clashed in an impressive show of strength. Even with power that was more than halved, both fighters were still stronger than most Shinigami.

Ichigo disengaged and used Shunpo to distance himself from Shiro, feeling the point where his right forearm ached. Shiro did not have a weak punch; Ichigo knew that he couldn't block consistently. His arm would probably break before Shiro got tired, and the hollow wasn't holding anything back.

A slight distortion in the air to his left was all the warning Ichigo got before Shiro was there, striking with a quick jab that Ichigo barely managed to block. The impact stung, but the substitute Shinigami had not taken Karate for years just to brag about it. Even as Shiro was going for a left hook, Ichigo was ducking, landing on his hands, and kicking out with both feet in a movement that he would be challenged to repeat, catching Shiro in the stomach.

The hollow was flung back, but used the Reishi in the air to slow his movement to the point where he could jump back at Ichigo. He was grinning madly, not even seeming to notice that he'd just taken a fairly powerful blow to the chest.

Narrowing his eyes, Ichigo prepared to meet his inner hollow again.

The two exchanged a flurry of blows that would confuse any Shinigami below a sixth seat position, until Shiro managed to catch Ichigo with a feint and then land a blow to Ichigo's solar plexus.

Automatically bending over, Ichigo was helpless to stop himself from receiving Shiro's knee to his face. When Ichigo was lifted off the ground from the force, Shiro kept his momentum going, spun, and hit Ichigo with a kick so hard it launched Ichigo through several nearby trees.

Both fighters clearly heard the crack that echoed from Ichigo's ribs.

**"C'mon, King! That can't be all ya got!"**

"You're damn right it's not," Ichigo growled, pulling himself out of the crater he'd formed before stopping. His cracked rib meant nothing as Ichigo focused, reigning in his wild spiritual pressure as much as possible in favor of devoting all of his being into fighting Shiro. The hollow was almost exactly at Ichigo's skill level, if not better. _Except for one thing_, Ichigo thought to himself, glaring at Shiro.

_Instinct._

With a yell, Ichigo charged at Shiro, ducking the hollow's first punch, blocking the second, and hitting Shiro with a powerful uppercut applied directly to Shiro's chin. Shiro's head snapped back with a painful sound, but even as the hollow flew back he flipped, landing on his feet. The stagger that followed, however, indicated that Shiro was not as unhurt as he appeared.

**"Not bad," **he commented, spitting out blood.

"I could say the same to you," Ichigo replied easily, his eyes shining blue. There was one thought going through his head: _fight_.

Shiro's grin grew to manic proportions, and the flickers of madness that had consumed him before came back in full force. With a cackle that would make Captain Mayuri jealous, Shiro lunged at Ichigo.

Smiling, Ichigo dodged the first hit, and tried to catch the second. Unfortunately, he misjudged the power behind the blow and grunted as Shiro pushed him back. Taking advantage of Ichigo's mistake, Shiro moved forward, catching Ichigo by the wrist and flipping the shocked boy over his shoulder. Even as Ichigo fell, Shiro recovered his balance and landed a solid jab to Ichigo's already damaged chest.

When Ichigo hit the ground, he bounced slightly; that simple fact indicated just how hard Shiro had hit him. The cracked rib that Ichigo had suffered earlier now snapped entirely, causing the teenager to grunt in pain. Thanks to his previous adventures, fortunately, Ichigo's pain tolerance was approaching the levels of ridiculous, and a broken rib didn't even come close to breaking his threshold.

"That all you got?" Ichigo coughed, climbing to his feet. Shiro laughed, his strange double tones making it all the more menacing – and maddening.

**"You're as stubborn as ever, King! This is fun!"**

"I'd hate to disappoint!"

This time, when Ichigo got within punching range of Shiro, he immediately went for the kick. Predictably, Shiro jumped out of range while retaliating with a roundhouse of his own, but Ichigo was ready. He caught the leg heading for his jaw and, in one smooth motion, pulled a surprised Shiro closer to him. At the same time, Ichigo pulled back his left fist. Shiro never stood a chance against the combined momentum of Ichigo pulling him and the velocity of Ichigo's punch; with a satisfying noise, Shiro's upper arm broke cleanly, and the hollow hurled back.

Shiro recovered almost instantly. Even though his right arm was now hanging limply at his side, he pressed Ichigo back with an unpredictable series of attacks that would've gotten grudging respect from Tatsuki.

Matched blow for blow, Shiro and Ichigo hit each other until, in one expected move, they took each other out.

Ichigo lay on the grass, panting heavily. His chest felt like it was burning, but he didn't need to see the Fourth Division just yet. If Ichigo was going to brave Captain Unohana, he at least wanted to be half-dead to do it just to avoid that (terrifyingly) nice smile.

He shivered at the thought, and then brought a hand up to his face to wipe away the blood that was trickling down it from the broken nose that Shiro had given him at some point. Compared to Ichigo's other injuries, the broken nose meant absolutely nothing.

Slowly, Ichigo pulled himself into a sitting position, wincing as his broken rib protested the movement. Shiro was doing the same, though his right arm was still hanging limply by his side. Frowning, the hollow seemed to focus for a moment. Before Ichigo could even say anything, the hollow's brown eye turned yellow and then back to brown, but not before a surge of Reiatsu covered Shiro's right arm, momentarily turning white. When the spirit energy cleared, Shiro was flexing his right arm and grinning.

"Instant regeneration?" Ichigo guessed, raising an eyebrow. "That seems like an unfair advantage."

Shiro laughed. **"If you weren't so arrogant, you could've figured out how to do it yourself."**

Ichigo paused for a moment and then frowned as more pain emanated from his chest. His mouth tasted like blood, a fact that he was in no mood to think about.

"Arrogant? When the hell have I been arrogant?"

**"Che. Like you even need to ask."**

"I do, because you're not making sense!"

**"I'm a hollow, idiot! I don't have to make sense!"**

Ichigo scowled.

"Fine. Just teach me, then."

**"What?"**

"I said," Ichigo repeated, climbing to his feet, "that I want you to teach me. I want to know how to use high-speed regeneration, and whatever else you know and I don't."

Shiro stared up at Ichigo was something approaching incredulity on his face.

**"You want me . . . to teach _you_? Is this some kind of sick joke?"**

"Why the hell would it be?"

As Ichigo spoke, Shiro got to his feet, moving a lot more smoothly than Ichigo thanks to his lack of injuries. At some point during the conversation, Shiro's expression had changed from a gleeful smirk to a threatening snarl.

**"Maybe because no matter what I do, you decide that whatever abilities I have aren't yours to begin with. You think they're just mine."**

Ichigo looked confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

**"Exactly what it sounds like! You're always thinking, 'I have this hollow inside me, and if I lock it away and steal its power, problem solved'!"**

"Well . . . yeah, I guess." Ichigo wasn't sure where his inner hollow was going with this, but he did feel the slightest stirrings of guilt at the thought that he had shut Shiro away in the deepest part of his soul for a long time.

**"Did it ever fucking occur to you, _King_, that locking me away wasn't the right answer?"**

"You were trying to take over my body!"

**"You're damn right I was!" **Shiro yelled, his Reiatsu pulsing dangerously. **"You're too weak to be in control! If you stay that way you're going to get us both killed!"**

"I'm not that weak, and I haven't gotten killed yet!"

Shiro outright laughed, his sanity momentarily fading.

**"Oh, you really think so? How many times did I have to step in and save your life?"**

"That's not important – "

**"YES IT FUCKING IS!"**

Ichigo flinched, not expecting the amount of anger that was pouring off of Shiro. Shiro's brown eye was blackening slightly, but as Ichigo watched the hollow visibly restrained himself, and his sclera returned to normal.

**"I saved your life in your fight against Renji. Then again with Byakuya. If it weren't for me, you would've died in front of Orihime in your fight against Ulquiorra! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?!"**

"I – I didn't – "

**"You didn't what? You didn't know? You didn't realize? Well, fuck. I guess I was expecting too much when I thought that a king would be able to think more clearly than his horse!"**

"That's not what I meant!" Ichigo snapped, finally finding an opportunity to get a word in edgewise. "I wanted to say, I didn't – and I don't – _understand_!"

**"Surprising," **Shiro growled, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

Ichigo didn't know what caused him to do what he did next. Maybe it was instinct, or maybe his anger got the better of him. Either way, Ichigo's hand was on the grip of Zangetsu before he could even draw his next breath. He wasn't even sure if the sword had moved or if it had already been near where Ichigo was.

"You want me to understand?" Ichigo said, the words coming out of his mouth almost softly as some emotion he couldn't understand pushed him to act. "Then make me."

And then Shiro had grabbed hold of his version of Zangetsu, and any words either boy had wanted to say were drowned out in the ringing of clashing blades.

Ichigo had discovered something through all of the battles he had waged. What drove a person's sword was the rawest of emotions, the deepest of instincts, each coming to life through the inanimate weapon, giving it almost a life of its own. It was different from even the Zanpakutō spirits. In the simplest of terms, it was the reflection of the person wielding the weapon. All of his or her emotions, desires; each of which was communicated through a blade sharp enough to cut through steel.

Now two such blades were screaming against each other, the wielders engaged in a desperate battle for understanding.

Leaping back, Ichigo let out a wordless cry of frustration and adjusted his grip on Zangetsu. Shiro merely growled, anger pouring off of him in waves of visible Reiatsu.

When the two attacked, the amount of power expended shook the ground beneath them.

* * *

Kisuke Urahara looked up from the work he was examining inside the lab he had . . . borrowed . . . from Captain Mayuri. A small grin appeared on his face as he subconsciously adjusted his favorite bucket hat.

"So that's it," he murmured, quickly jotting down a few notes about the Reiatsu that he was feeling and making sure that the instruments in the room were recording the event.

He hadn't been the captain of the Twelfth Division for nothing.

* * *

"Getsuga Tenshō!" Ichigo roared, swiping his sword down and releasing a blue wave of energy in the shape of a wave. Even at severely reduced power, it was still strong enough to push Shiro back almost to the edge of the training grounds. However, the hollow soon set his feet and dispersed the attack.

**"Pathetic," **Shiro snarled, readying his own blade. **"Getsuga Tenshō."**

Shiro's attack was clearly larger stronger than Ichigo's, made up of black spirit energy rimmed with deep crimson. When it hit a surprised Ichigo, it exploded, sending the substitute Shinigami hurtling through the air until he managed to solidify the Reishi around him enough to stop. _How the hell does he make it so much stronger than mine? _Ichigo wondered with frustration. _And how does he get it to explode like that?_

Ichigo was given no more time to wonder about Shiro's abilities since the hollow was nearly on top of him, swinging Zangetsu down in a murderous arc. There was no doubt: the hollow was more than willing to kill Ichigo. Grunting, Ichigo brought his own blade up to parry, and the ground beneath him shattered slightly from the pressure of Shiro's attack. However, Ichigo's defense held firm, and he threw off the hollow before trying to catch Shiro off guard with a quick side slash. Expecting the maneuver, Shiro somehow managed to hit the flat of Ichigo's Zangetsu with his bare hand, sending the blade crashing to the ground.

There was no time to react as Shiro's blade cut deeply along Ichigo's chest, temporarily exposing Ichigo's broken rib before blood exploded from the wound. Dazed, Ichigo fell, his brain still not processing the fact that he'd been hit, and hit bad.

_Move_, he ordered himself as he fell to the ground, facing the sky. _Dammit, move! Move!_

But Ichigo's body wouldn't listen; his muscles had locked up from shock. Or was it because Ichigo wasn't strong enough to suppress the pain of his injuries anymore? _Am I really that weak right now? _He wondered.

And then Shiro was there, standing over Ichigo with his inverted Zangetsu hovering over Ichigo's throat. For some reason, Ichigo was getting a sense of Déjà vu, but that was weighed down by shock when he saw Shiro's eyes. At some point during their fight Shiro's hair had shifted, revealing his black and yellow left eye. Except . . . his other eye was black and yellow too. And the snarl on his face was anything but sane.

Now that the adrenaline and rush of battle had begun to leave Ichigo's system in favor of natural painkillers, he realized that his right eye was burning slightly. Without even looking, Ichigo knew that it had gone back to normal. According to what Urahara had said the previous day, that fact was bad. Very, very bad.

But, at the moment, that wasn't everything that was occupying Ichigo's mind. Already, he'd gone back and run through the fight up to that point several times, finding the mistakes in his technique and mentally hitting himself for all of the missed opportunities. It was hard to spend the past few months doing intense fighting and then not develop self-examination habits like that. However, Ichigo wasn't going over only himself. He was analyzing everything that Shiro had done, and was dissecting every little thing that Shiro's body language had implied.

No matter how Shiro attacked, he had the same look of furious determination that Ichigo had found on his own face multiple times during his adventures. That persistence was mirrored in the way Shiro gripped his sword, in the power behind every strike, and the fury with which he attacked.

New determination surged within Ichigo as he stared up at the murderous face of his inner hollow. Acting on the same instinct that had prompted him to start this fight in the first place, Ichigo reached up with his left hand and gripped the white Zangetsu by the tip where it was thin enough to grab, not seeming to care about how blood trickled from where the blade cut into his palm. And then a grin etched itself across Ichigo's face, followed by a laughter that built slowly from deep within his chest. It was just slightly too high, and slightly too _off_ to be entirely sane.

Those watching – Shiro – could see the black that rapidly consumed Ichigo's right sclera while his iris lightened until it was yellow. Shiro's right eye, on the other hand, slowly returned to brown, and the sclera turned white. The fury in his expression faded as well, though it still smoldered like the embers of a dying fire, buried deep and smothered.

Then, in one quick motion, Shiro yanked Zangetsu out of Ichigo's grip, spun it, and hit Ichigo on the side of the head with the flat of the blade.

"Dammit!" Ichigo yelled, his laughter abruptly stopping as he instinctively putting a hand to the side of his head as Shiro stepped away, slinging his inverted Zangetsu over his back.

The sudden and sharp pain from his head snapped Ichigo out of whatever kind of trance the sudden shift in his spirit energy had put him in, and the echoes of Ichigo's maddening laughter slowly faded from the clearing as a soft yet chilly breeze pushed them away. Shiro waited, his expression blank, while Ichigo slowly recovered. The hollow's face was impossible to read.

Ichigo could feel his thoughts slowing down as the remaining adrenaline left his system, and it was only a few seconds later when Ichigo could finally think straight again.

"Why did you hit me?" He coughed, absently tearing off some of the bandage-like cloth that wrapped around Zangetsu to bind the wound on his chest. The cloth grew back, feeding on Ichigo's Reiatsu, but the substitute Shinigami didn't notice, too focused on binding his wounds so that he wouldn't bleed out too quickly. Shiro moved his shoulders in what could be interpreted as a shrug.

**"You were losing it."**

"That doesn't mean you need to give me a concussion!"

**"Like that's the worst injury you've ever had,"** Shiro drawled, turning and walking away while sheathing his Zanpakutō across his back. **"We're done. You're still pathetic and weak."**

"No, I'm not," Ichigo growled, climbing to his feet and using Zangetsu for support. Crimson seeped through the bandages on his chest, but the injury wasn't life threatening for the moment. Shiro glanced back and scowled.

**"Yes, you are. We're both weak right now and this fight wasn't even as fun as I thought it would be."**

Ichigo barely suppressed the growl that built up within him. "Fighting isn't supposed to be for fun."

Shiro laughed, turning back around to face Ichigo. His laughter never reached his eyes.

**"Fighting isn't supposed to be fun? Then explain Kenpachi. Explain the Eleventh Division. Explain why every time you fight someone close or above your skill level you _enjoy it_."**

"I don't enjoy it!"

**"Bullshit! I was in your head, King! I know exactly what was going on in your mind, so don't even try to deny what you were feeling!"**

"I only fight so that I can protect people!" Ichigo yelled, ignoring the subsequent pain in his chest.

**"Che. Whatever helps you sleep at night."**

Ichigo stared after his inner hollow, confused and not entirely sure what to say. He'd never realized that Shiro was so . . . emotional. On top of that, now that Ichigo was thinking about everything Shiro had said, he was getting the sense that Shiro was giving away his reasons for all of his actions in the past.

One of Ichigo's arms started to get a strange numbness in it, beginning at his fingertips. He knew that he needed to get to the Fourth Division, but there was one thing he needed to say.

"I still want to get stronger," Ichigo managed, glaring at Shiro's back. "I want to be able to protect everyone . . . and I can't do that now." By the end of his statement, Ichigo's vision was beginning to blur and the numbness in his arm was rapidly spreading.

**"Why the hell should I care?"**

"You can help me."

Shiro's response to Ichigo's statement was lost on Ichigo because the blood loss from the wound that the hollow had inflicted earlier finally caught up to him and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. Moments later he was unconscious, sprawled on the ground with his Zanpakutō next to him. His hand was still wrapped around the hilt.

For the first time in a while, the training ground descended into a tense kind of silence. A chilly breeze casually blew through the area, sending up small whorls of dust and debris from the fights. Ichigo made no move to get up; the blood that was beginning to pool around him was a clear indication that he wouldn't be recovering anytime soon without medical attention.

Shiro stared at the collapsed boy in front of him, genuine confusion written over his features.

**"He wasn't joking?"**

The hollow wanted to demand answers from Ichigo, but Ichigo clearly wasn't in any position to provide any, and it would be a rainy day in Hueco Mundo before Shiro begged for anything of Ichigo. The incident with the chains didn't count in his mind; Shiro had done his best to block that day out.

_At least_, he thought, walking over to Ichigo and casually picking up his sword, _it's not as bad as it was. Now he's not constantly thinking I'm going to fight him._

As Shiro slung one of Ichigo's arms around his shoulder and went at a lazy pace using Sonido in the general direction of the Fourth Division, hands full, he wondered about what he should tell Ichigo. "Screw you, you arrogant bastard" was high on the list of possible options, but whenever Shiro dwelled on that choice he felt a weird kind of pull in his chest, one that he didn't understand. It was a recent development, and the hollow was having difficulty keeping anyone from seeing the discomfort Shiro felt on his face.

Covering it up with a sadistic smirk worked nicely, but that only made Ichigo look at him with more distrust.

Ichigo's hatred – fear, anger, whichever – towards his inner hollow frustrated Shiro to the extreme. Shiro understood that what he'd done was wrong in the whole "something just possessed my body" sense, not to mention the "now he's threatening to consume my soul" business. But really, if Ichigo wasn't even strong enough to stop Shiro from listening to his Hollow instincts, why did the orange-haired boy even deserve to be King? Plus, Shiro had really only taken over Ichigo's body when the King was about to get himself killed.

Glancing over at the unconscious figure he was supporting, Shiro scowled. He knew that his thoughts were unwarranted; after all, the king had beaten him multiple times in combat, proving that he had the physical strength necessary. But Shiro wasn't sure that whatever was coming Ichigo's way next – because the hollow knew, in some deep core of his being, that something was coming – was something that the teenager would be able to handle just by swinging his sword.

Not that Shiro thought that violence wasn't the answer; far from it. But he still couldn't shake the feeling, and instead settled on shaking Ichigo slightly.

**"You're a pain, you know that?"** Shiro growled as he arrived in front of the Fourth Division barracks. Originally, he had planned to drop Ichigo and run in order to avoid _that woman_, but his hopes were dashed when he saw Retsu Unohana walk out of the main gate, heading straight for him.

_It's too late to run_, Shiro realized with rising horror.

And then Captain Unohana saw the unconscious and bleeding Ichigo, prompting her to turn her (threateningly) serene smile on Shiro, who was noticeably undamaged and was holding two swords. The hollow began to sweat slightly. _Damn, why does she out of every person here make me feel fear?_

"Shiro, I believe?" Unohana asked gently.

**"Uh . . . yeah."**

The captain's expression hardened fractionally, but those simple shifts made Shiro want to take a step back. His instincts were screaming at him to run, but it was far too late to do that. _This is the last time I do this for King,_ he vowed to himself.

"Why were you wandering the Seireitei without an escort?"

Shiro fumbled for an explanation but came up with nothing. After a few seconds, he mumbled the truth.

**"King wanted to train, so we headed out to the training field and sparred. That's it."**

If the captain of the Fourth Division noticed how Shiro referred to Ichigo as "King", she didn't comment.

"And you had no one accompany you?"

**"There was no one around."**

Riku didn't count. Shiro wasn't a big fan of the guy, or of his annoying little sisters.

Unohana looked entirely unimpressed with Shiro's answer, but whatever she was about to say was interrupted by a low groan from Ichigo. Silently, Shiro thanked the universe for its incredible timing, because whatever the Fourth Division captain had been about to do probably would've involved Shiro suffering on some level.

"Isane," Unohana called softly. Immediately, her lieutenant appeared next to her.

'Yes ma'am?"

"Please take Kurosaki Ichigo to one of our available rooms. I will be having a small talk with Shiro."

"Of course, ma'am."

Grudgingly, Shiro handed off the unconscious Ichigo to the lieutenant. A passing thought struck him and he dematerialized his sword, pulling it into his inner world. After a pause he did the same thing to Ichigo's, and he staggered slightly from the sudden usage of so much Reiryoku. Unohana watched without saying a word, though a small amount of concern was visible in her eyes for just a moment before Shiro recovered.

Eventually, the hollow became uncomfortable with the silence that Unohana had no intention of breaking.

**"Why do you want t' talk t' me?" ** He asked, crossing his arms and trying to put on his darkest scowl. Thanks to technically being a part of Ichigo, scowling came completely naturally to Shiro, though not as much as the manic grin that sometimes crossed Shiro's face. Something that Shiro had noticed, however, was that the longer he was outside Ichigo's inner world the more his voice changed. It was still echoing hollowly with double tones, but now Shiro was speaking in a less refined way; in short, less like Ichigo and more like himself. It was a nice feeling, having an accent. It meant that Shiro wasn't as much like King as most people would believe.

Instead of giving Shiro a clear answer, Captain Unohana merely inclined her head. "Walk with me," she ordered.

Not even stopping to think about what would happen if he didn't, Shiro complied and fell in step next to Unohana as she set off at a moderate pace outside the walls of the Fourth Division.

Being in the presence of a captain meant that Shiro no longer had to be subjected to the curious stares of other Shinigami or Seireitei residents. And considering that it was Captain Unohana, who despite her motherly appearance and behavior had an aura more dangerous than that of a drunk Kenpachi, any stares were quickly diverted elsewhere.

**"Where are we going?" **Shiro asked irritably, not liking how he was being led somewhere. For once, he wanted to be the one doing the leading, not the other way around.

"Nowhere in particular," Captain Unohana answered easily. "I just wished to speak to you in private, and the members of my division can be . . . overzealous at times."

**"We're in the middle of a crowded street,"** Shiro growled. **"How the hell is this 'private'?"**

"Are you unhappy?" Unohana questioned dangerously, an icy edge sliding almost unnoticed into her tone. Shiro picked up on it and immediately backed off.

**"No, I just don't like crowded places."**

"That is perfectly understandable," Unohana replied smoothly. Shiro barely stopped himself from staring at her; who the hell was this woman, and why did she act like talking to a hollow while walking down a street in the Seireitei was completely normal?

Unohana caught the look in Shiro's eye and smiled gently. "You're forgetting something, Shiro. It was my decision to have you healed and placed in custody in the Fourth Division, instead of killed on the spot."

**"Considering how much I look like Ichigo," **Shiro growled, **"I'm surprised everyone was so eager to kill me."**

"You'd be surprised at how heartless some men can be. Now, I was simply curious about something, which is why I wanted to speak with you."

**"What is it?" **Shiro couldn't keep the irritation out of his tone.

"If you are in fact a hollow, why do you not attack Ichigo? I have heard you refer to him as 'King' – though I will not pretend to understand your reasons for doing so – but it would seem logical that you would want to defeat him."

And there it was. The Captain's reasons for drawing Shiro out into the open, where he couldn't storm away from the Captain without landing himself in more trouble than he wanted to face. _She's smarter than I gave her credit for, _Shiro realized, scowling. He made a note to never again underestimate the Fourth Division, especially since the captain was so damn scary. However, before Shiro could respond, Captain Unohana continued speaking.

"All hollows instinctually crave souls in order to fill the void where their hearts used to be," she said, clearly reciting something that she had been taught who-knows-how-many years ago. "Yet you, a hollow, don't. In fact, I have gotten reports that you eat even less than Ichigo, and still never even mention hunger." She gave Shiro a sideways look that was somehow concerned and calculating at the same time. "As the captain of the only healing division in the Gotei 13 and the one who vouched for your safety when the others wanted you dead, you must understand that this concerns me slightly."

**"I don't need to explain myself to you," **Shiro growled. **"'S none of yer business, anyway."**

"Oh, I don't mean to invade your privacy," Unohana said. "I simply want to affirm that you aren't having difficulty. I'm sure that even you could guess how the Head Captain would react to finding out that you really do want to eat souls."

Shiro's scowl darkened to the point where his expression was only a few shades lighter than murderous.

**"If you're worried that I'm gonna go on a rampage, you're worrying for nothin'. I don't want any damn souls."**

And for once, that was the truth. Shiro was well aware that he was different from all of the hollows that Ichigo often found himself facing; he never felt a real, deep, _instinctual_ hunger. Sure, occasionally he would eat something – for example, that apple that Ichigo had given him that one time with that girl Kira – but Shiro simply never felt hungry. His stomach was never really full, but it was never really empty either. It had been worse in the world of the living; there, Shiro definitely felt the far-off pangs of hunger, but they were few and far between. However, in Soul Society, there was nothing at all.

"That's good to hear," Unohana responded sincerely, almost like she was _glad_ that Shiro was being honest and that he wasn't suffering.

_What the hell is with this woman?_ Shiro wondered, but there was no way he was willing to voice those thoughts aloud.

He was a hollow, after all, and hollows had a very strong survival instinct.

Shiro stared at Unohana, mind going a hundred miles an hour with no real idea of what to say. What _could_ he say? He was in the middle of the Seireitei, surrounded by hundreds – no, thousands – of Shinigami, and he was having a perfectly civilized conversation with a _captain_, one of the most powerful Shinigami out there. At that moment, the sheer ridiculousness of the situation really struck Shiro and he couldn't help the laughter that burst out his mouth, deranged little snickers that were all too reminiscent of the manic laughter that Ichigo had released from suddenly having his Reiatsu balanced again.

"Is something funny to you?" Unohana asked curiously, not fazed at all by Shiro's laughter. The hollow shook his head while trying and failing to pull himself back together.

**"It's just . . . I'm a hollow . . . and the only reason you idiots are keeping me alive . . . is because I look like _him_!"**

Shiro didn't realize how bitter his voice sounded until after the words were spoken, and at that point it was too late to take them back. Unohana took his tone in stride, never even pausing in her walk.

"That is not the only reason," she said simply. Somehow, the Fourth Division captain had found the right combination of those six words, because Shiro's bitterness abruptly turned into confusion.

**"What?"**

"I said, that is not the only reason you are still alive." Unohana sighed, and for a brief moment all the years she had spent as a Shinigami showed on her face, but the weariness was gone in an instant. "You should try to understand, Shiro, that most of the Seireitei doesn't even know what you really are. That information is reserved for those who interact with you on a daily basis."

**"So? Why does that even matter?"**

"It matters because that means the fact of what you are – and your connection with Ichigo – is not one of the main reasons you are still alive."

**"Just get to the point," **Shiro growled, irritated.

"Shiro, you are still alive because we recognized that you were instrumental in the defeat of Aizen."

The white-skinned boy stopped walking. A step later, Unohana sensed that he had ceased moving and stopped as well, turning back to face Shiro.

Shiro's mind was whirling. _I was instrumental in the defeat of Aizen?_ He repeated in his mind, going over each word to make sure that he had heard them right. _How was I . . .? And why would they even think about that?_

"I'm sure you're confused," Unohana said, that caring tone back in her voice. "Allow me to explain. Most of the upper levels of the Gotei 13 are aware that Kurosaki Ichigo possesses the powers of a hollow. His usage of those abilities has saved countless lives in the struggles Soul Society has faced recently, and therefore it was decided that his hollow abilities were beneficial. By extension, as I'm sure you know, those hollow powers are _you_, Shiro."

**"So you're saying that because King suppressed me and then used my abilities in the past, that means that I was helping him and also helping Soul Society, and that makes me 'good' in the eyes of whoever the hell runs this place?"**

Captain Unohana rolled Shiro's words around in her head for a moment before she nodded.

"That is the best and simplest way to say it, yes. Now, may we continue walking?"

"That won't be necessary, Captain Unohana."

_I know that voice, _Shiro realized, an automatic scowl of annoyance forming on his features. _Urahara._

"Are you sure, Kisuke?" Captain Unohana queried, obviously comfortable enough with the ex-captain to use his first name. The eccentric shopkeeper nodded, his half-smile-half-smirk plastered onto his face.

"Yep! Judging from the readings we've been getting from both Ichigo and Shiro here, distance doesn't seem to affect whatever force is keeping their spirit energy stable."

"That's good news," Unohana responded. "I should inform the Head Captain."

"You do that," Urahara replied easily. "I'll walk Shiro back to the Fourth."

And just like that, Unohana was gone and Shiro found himself stuck with one of the few men he would sacrifice his right arm to not be stuck with: Kisuke Urahara.

Abruptly, Shiro turned and began walking back in the direction of the Fourth Division, a scowl on his face that sent anyone unfortunate enough to be nearby scurrying out of his way.

"Aw, that was rude," Urahara pouted, suddenly beside Shiro, walking like he didn't have a care in the world.

**"I don't care," **Shiro replied as flatly as possible, desperate to deter any conversation he could. But because the universe seemed to hate Shiro that day, Urahara was stubbornly oblivious to the overt hints that Shiro was trying to give him.

"There's no need to be so harsh, Shiro," Urahara drawled, adjusting his hat slightly. "I just wanna talk for a while."

**"Doesn't everyone," **Shiro muttered under his breath. Then, more loudly, he said, **"That's great for you. Today isn't 'talk to the hollow' day. Go bother someone else."**

Somehow, Shiro managed to completely ignore the overdramatic reaction that Urahara was giving to those words, which consisted of him clutching his chest and giving the sky a "why me" kind of look that caused more than a few souls passing by to stare. After realizing that Shiro didn't care about him at all, Urahara's face cleared and his expression became more serious. Shiro mentally groaned, knowing that he was actually going to have to pay attention now, and he _really_ didn't want to do that. In all seriousness, the main thing that he wanted to do was fight someone. Not to kill them – though that would be an added bonus – but to relieve stress.

It seemed like a paradox, but for some reason there was something about the thrill and danger of a fight that set Shiro's mind at ease. Even his fight – _spar_, he reminded himself firmly – with Ichigo, while not satisfying, was still enough to clear Shiro's head of all of the shit he'd been worrying about for the past few weeks.

Which brought him back to another dilemma: Ichigo's request for help. Again, the "screw you" option came to the fore of Shiro's mind, but for some reason Shiro couldn't' bring himself to really agree with that idea, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Hey, Shiro," Urahara suddenly said, pulling Shiro out of his thoughts.

**"What do you want?"** Shiro replied, annoyed.

"Well, that's a better reaction than last time," Urahara commented lightly, but before Shiro could snap at him to buzz off, Urahara continued speaking. "I know you're wondering why I suddenly took over your babysitting duty, right?"

Shiro growled at the word "babysitting" and forced himself to keep walking instead of throttling the man next to him.

"I have good news for you, Shiro! I, Urahara Kisuke, can give you that answer!"

_Whoop-dee-fucking-do_, Shiro thought sarcastically.

"The reason I had Captain Unohana walk you all the way out here was . . . to make sure that you and Ichigo could be separated for extended periods of time, which you can be!"

He paused then, as if expecting Shiro to give some sort of reaction. He was sorely disappointed when all the hollow did was shrug his shoulders and keep walking. What Urahara didn't see, however, was the deepening of Shiro's scowl. At this point, there was a very real possibility that Shiro's face, much like Ichigo's, was going to freeze in a permanent scowl.

Urahara sighed.

"Y'know, Shiro, you're not much of a conversationalist."

**"I don't care."**

And that was that. The rest of the walk continued in utter, awkward silence – actually, it was only awkward for Urahara, who was never one to enjoy extended periods of silence.

By the time Urahara actually got to the Fourth Division, he was ready to explode. Inside his mind, his scientific side had been going nuts at the chance to really examine Shiro, and it had taken all of Urahara's effort not to show that childlike glee on his face.

He was slightly confused by the hollow's behavior; Shiro demonstrated no desire for souls, and Urahara had never seen any sign of a hollow hole on Shiro's body. That, and Shiro acted like Ichigo more than anyone really wanted to admit. In fact, if Ichigo had fewer morals and was just slightly more unhinged and less protective than normal, he would essentially _be_ Shiro.

Urahara revised that thought. It wasn't that Shiro was _less_ protective than Ichigo. As far as the scientist could tell, Shiro demonstrated all the signs of wanting to keep Ichigo and his friends safe that Ichigo did. He just went about it in a different way.

Pocketing those thoughts away for future musings, Urahara cheerily waved to a thoroughly annoyed Shiro.

"You have fun, now!" He called, for all appearances looking like a proud parent.

The murderous glare that Shiro gave Urahara would've sent shivers down Zaraki's spine.

After making sure that Urahara got the message to _never to that again or else_, Shiro turned and walked inside the Fourth Division barracks, muttering various curses under his breath. Most of them were aimed at a certain hat-loving, sandal-wearing ex-captain. At least for the moment, however, Shiro wasn't planning on getting revenge.

That didn't mean that Shiro wouldn't taken advantage of the first opportunity he got. And Shiro was very good at holding grudges.

* * *

_Over 8,000 words, and some action! I hope that this chapter did the previous chapter's teaser justice . . . I know that a few of you spent some time dissecting those words._

_Please note that I edited that at one in the morning, which is also when I'm typing this note. I apologize for any errors._

**_Reviews:_**

**_iliketoreviewthegoodstries: _**_First of all, did you design your name to be a compliment (if so, nice job)? Second of all, holy crap. Thank you for all the reviews! Finding someone who reviews after every chapter (or near that) is rare, so I really appreciate you doing that! _

**_Dragonblaze66:_**_ Already answered!_

**_NovaMaze:_**_ Yes, Ichigo's Quincy side will be here, though I will not be focusing on his Quincy abilities. Those aren't really going to be making an appearance in this story._

**_Ermilus: _**_Nice guess on the escapee, but, as all pointlessly melodramatic people say, I can neither confirm nor deny that information._

**_Hi (guest):_**_ I appreciate your (anonymous) feedback, and I hope you enjoy the coming chapters!_

**_PaRaM0rE-0394:_**_ Interesting theory on Rukia's exhaustion. As I said to a previous reviewer, I can neither confirm nor deny that information._

**_Krazyfanfiction1: _**_You get the award for most reliable reviewer. Seriously, you're awesome. I hope this chapter __addressed your question on the whole Shiro and souls thing. As for Zangetsu, that issue won't be coming to a head for a while yet._

**_Lord Necrotis II:_ **_I'm pretty sure I answered your questions already in a PM, so I'll just leave it at that. Thank you for reviewing in such detail, and interesting username!_

**_Guest: _**_Shiro's "I told you so" moment is going to be one for the Kuchiki history books, probably. Honestly, I have a few lines for it written down, and all I can say is it's angst in every sense of the word._

_Holy crap you guys are trying to drown me in reviews and it's _incredible_! I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who's given feedback so far!_

_For those of you who don't know, if I see a particularly pressing question in a review I will usually reply to the reviewer with a PM within one to two days of the review being posted. Then, when the next chapter comes out, I'll respond to the reviewer again, because I can and it's good to appreciate other people helping._

_Fun fact of the hour: I actually have written the first chapter of my Winter War fic, but I won't post it until much later. Really, I'm not skilled enough to get all of the angst a fic like that deserves into the story, but I want to try._

_-RoR_

_Coming up: Even in death, Americans can be assholes. (no teaser this week because there's no good lines for it)_

Please review.


	19. Chapter 19

_Due to complications with school, I will be taking a two-week break on this story. Expect the next update to be on the sixth of September, after I've gotten through the trouble of the first few days of school (when it feels like every teacher just gets up, greets you, asks about your summer break, and then collectively punches you in the face with __homework). The next chapter should be slightly longer to compensate, but don't expect anything ridiculous._

* * *

Chapter 19

The next day at school, Kira and Riku couldn't help but notice that Ichigo was behaving differently than normal. Instead of his usual scowling, angry behavior, he was scowling and – if something hit his chest or he had to do something strenuous, like spar in Zanjutsu – wincing.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" Kira finally asked during lunch, speaking around the food that she was cramming into her mouth. Being from the Rukongai, she probably still wasn't used to having that much food available to her.

"Nothing," Ichigo replied, slowly eating his own food. They were outside the main mess hall, sitting at one of the few small tables scattered throughout the field. If the colder weather was anything to go by, eating outside wasn't going to be an option soon.

"Liar," Riku stated, biting into what might've been a sandwich. The mess hall offered all kinds of food, some of it Western, so Ichigo couldn't be sure. "You've been favoring your middle all day. Hell, when we got our Shinai in Zanjutsu you looked pretty annoyed."

"Maybe I don't like training swords," Ichigo muttered. Riku snorted.

"You? Seriously?"

"C'mon, Ichigo, you're not fooling anyone." Kira stared at the orange-haired boy, a determined look in her eyes. "Was it what you were doing yesterday?"

"I wasn't doing anything yesterday."

"You can stop lying," Riku sighed. "We went to that meeting – at your own insistence – so you don't need to shield us. Plus, Kira's not gonna let it go until you tell her."

"Hey!" Kira protested. "Don't try to make me look bad when you're the curious one!"

"Oh yeah?" Riku replied, leaning forward and swallowing his food. "Which one of us was the one who ran into Ichigo on the first day she met him?"

Kira's face flushed red while she stammered out a response.

"T – that was an accident! Completely unimportant! Right, Ichigo?"

"Don't drag me into this," Ichigo muttered, hoping that Riku and Kira would keep arguing and therefore forget about what they were asking Ichigo about. Unfortunately, he had no such luck.

"We're getting off topic," Riku pointed out. "Ichigo, answer the question."

"There was never a question," Ichigo replied, poking at his food.

"Okay, fine," Kira snapped. "What's wrong with you?"

Ichigo smirked into his meal.

"There's a lot of things wrong with me."

Shiro, though he hadn't spoken the entire time, allowed a grin to slip onto his features at that statement. Riku noticed this, but before he could comment Shiro's face went back to being blank.

"Answer the damn question!" Kira snapped, her tempter getting the best of her. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, paused in the motion of putting food into his mouth. Then, as Kira watched anxiously, Ichigo slowly ate the bite of food and set his utensil down. He swallowed and reached for a glass of water, intentionally not moving as quickly as normal.

Riku, seeing what Ichigo was doing, smiled slightly, but he couldn't help the annoyance that he was feeling. He wanted Ichigo to answer the question too.

Finally, Ichigo sighed and rubbed a hand through his messy orange hair, careful not to expose his right eye. In the process, he stretched out the wound on his chest and winced slightly, not missing how Kira and Riku's eyes narrowed in response.

"Okay, look, it's nothing to worry about," Ichigo muttered, his voice barely audible. "I was just training yesterday with Shiro, and we got a little too serious. That's it."

"What happened to your chest then?" Riku questioned. Ichigo shrugged.

"It got cut a little."

This time, Shiro's smirk was too obvious to be ignored. In spite of Ichigo glaring dangerously at him, Shiro spoke.

**"You're not serious," **he said. **"You were done fighting after that wound."**

"I could've kept going!" Ichigo protested, though he didn't think so himself.

**"Chi. Not in the condition you're in right now."**

"I wouldn't act so high and mighty," Ichigo snapped. "You're stuck in the same boat!"

**"Yet I'm still stronger!"**

"Then explain why I'm the one in charge!"

As if Ichigo had hit Shiro, the Hollow suddenly shut down, his expression morphing from frustration and anger to fury and then nothing in the space of less than two seconds. Ichigo, seeing this, thought it would be best to back down.

"Hey . . . sorry," Ichigo said awkwardly, realizing for the first time how strange it was to apologize to his Hollow. Needless to say, it was not a pleasant experience.

**"Shut up," **Shiro muttered, his tone acidic. Ichigo took the hint and didn't press the conversation any further.

Kira and Riku glanced between the two identical boys, confusion written all over their features.

"Hey, Ichigo?" Riku suddenly asked, sensing that a change of subject was desperately needed. The teenager in question glanced at Riku, eyebrow raised.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"What're you going to do when word gets out?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, when the people at the Academy find out that-" Riku lowered his voice so that even Ichigo had difficulty hearing it, "that _you_ were the one who beat Aizen."

Ichigo sat back, his expression clearly saying that he hadn't thought ahead that far. His visible eye clouded and his mouth twisted into his usual scowl while he crossed his arms, his lunch forgotten.

"Well?"

"I don't know," Ichigo replied. "Honestly, I have no clue what I'm going to do. I'm just lucky that no one here was really in the Seireitei when I invaded it to save Rukia. I'm kind of winging it. Hell, I didn't even know I was going to be going to this Academy until my friends dragged me into it on a dare."

Kira coughed, nearly choking on her food. "You came to the Shin'ō Academy on a _dare_?"

Ichigo gave her a very serious look. "I wasn't the one who accepted it. And now, if I get kicked out of this place, I have to have a meal with Zaraki." At the thought, Ichigo shivered. Kira stared at him, not comprehending why Ichigo actually seemed scared.

"You're . . . _scared_ of this guy?" She asked, her eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "I thought you were supposed to be-"

"You know I'm weaker now," Ichigo interrupted, his gaze darting to the students that were walking past. "Plus, this guy is ridiculous. Have you seriously not heard of him?"

"We hadn't really heard of you," Riku pointed out. "And apparently you're a big deal."

Ichigo shot Riku a baleful look. "Hilarious. You didn't really hear about me because the higher-ups want to keep the whole 'a human with illegal Shinigami powers and an inner hollow managed to save Soul Society when no one else seemed to be able to' thing a secret."

The Isuke siblings made understanding "oh" noises, but Kira still looked confused. Sighing, Ichigo decided to elaborate on Zaraki further.

"Look, he's the captain of the Eleventh Division, alright? The most violent division?" The blood drained from Kira and Riku's faces, making Ichigo grin internally at their reactions. "Yeah. The first time I saw him, he nearly killed me. Ever since then he's been demanding a rematch. Hell, if he knew I was here-"

"Let's not tempt fate," Kira put in hurriedly. _If that guy could nearly kill Ichigo, _she thought, _then there's no telling what he would do to Riku, Mika and I! And from the rumors that I heard in the Rukongai . . ._

"But, Ichigo, you never really answered my question," Riku pointed out, unknowingly interrupting Kira's thoughts. "What _are_ you going to do when word gets out? I mean, your hair is pretty noticeable-"

"Have you seen your sister's?" Ichigo cut in, scowling. Obviously his hair color was a bit of a sore spot with him.

"Shut it," Kira growled with a scowl of her own.

"You're still avoiding the question."

"Fine, Riku. I don't know what'll happen when word gets out because eventually _someone_ is going to talk." _Probably Rangiku when she gets drunk_, Ichigo added silently. "I'll improvise, I guess. I've gotten pretty good at that."

"You are even worse of a planner than Kira," Riku commented, ignoring Kira's protests to the contrary. "And that's saying something."

"Whatever," Ichigo muttered. "I'll deal with that later. For now, it's not a problem. I've got other stuff to worry about right now."

Though Ichigo didn't speak his thoughts out loud, both Riku and Kira glanced at the white-haired teen sitting by them who was clearly trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone in the area.

"And I'm pretty sure you guys aren't going to tell anyone, right?" Ichigo asked, his expression never changing. He trusted Riku and Kira – and, to the same extent, Mika – not to speak to anyone about Ichigo's involvement in the Winter War.

"Yeah," they replied immediately.

"Well, the teachers already know," Riku then mused. "So that's not really a problem. However . . ."

"However?" Ichigo repeated.

"Well, what about the students? I mean, you're suddenly going to be the most well known kid at the Academy. What're you going to do if some of the kids that busted their asses to get here find out the real reason that you came here?"

"Yeah I can see where you're coming from with that," Ichigo answered slowly, thinking out each word before he spoke. "But really, the dare wasn't all of the reason that I was enrolled here. In fact, there was a pretty solid reason."

"Which is?" Kira pressed, not one to appreciate dramatic pauses.

"I absolutely suck at Reiatsu control."

Riku laughed, managing to squeeze out "I can tell" between breaths. Scowling at him, Ichigo decided not to point out that Riku absolutely sucked at Hohō. Of course, Riku had only been in the class for a few days, while Ichigo had been a Substitute Shinigami for much longer.

"Plus, I'm pretty sure the Gotei Thirteen didn't really want me wandering around the Seireitei unsupervised, so this was a pretty good solution for them. I learn some stuff, and they don't have to worry about me."

Though Riku and Kira still looked confused, they clearly thought it was best not to press Ichigo for any more information.

And further discussion was interrupted by the sudden arrival of six other students. Scowling darkly, Ichigo looked up, not wanting his lunch to be more disrupted than it already had been, despite the fact that he'd already finished eating. His expression darkened further when he saw seven students – boys, judging from the blue colors on their uniforms – towering over him, trying and failing to assume threatening positions. Vaguely, though Ichigo usually struggled with this sort of thing, Ichigo thought he recognized a few of them from his classes.

There was one other person in the field who had noticed the seven boys walking up to Ichigo, Riku, and Kira; this time, Ichigo was sure he recognized the student. The observer was that noble kid, the one with swept back black hair and perpetually narrowed brown eyes. Right now, he was sitting in a small group of other uptight students, eating his lunch with dignity, but Ichigo could see that the kid's gaze was fixed on the confrontation that was brewing a little ways away.

"What do you want?" Ichigo questioned rudely, directing his voice to the nearest boy, presumably the leader of the group.

In response, the boy stepped forward, arms crossed. He was clearly Western, with a strong jaw, piercing blue eyes and light brown hair. The others behind him were similar in appearance, though varied enough to clearly not be directly related.

"The name's Jacob," he spat, not seeming to have a last name. "I'm in your classes."

"That's great," Ichigo answered, boredom coating his tone despite the rapidly rising tension in the air. Riku and Kira, sensing that something was wrong, were gradually putting their lunches away and getting ready for a fight. "But you didn't answer my question."

Ichigo was no fool. Before the Soul Society business, he'd gotten into street fights all the time. He knew confrontations and what led up to them like the backs of his hands, and he also knew how to size up whether his opponent was going to be a threat or not.

And right now, every one of his instincts was telling him that a fight was coming.

Jacob was somewhat put off by Ichigo's nonchalance, but he quickly recovered his former mix of anger and annoyance.

"There's what I hate about you," Jacob stated bitingly. "You're so arrogant. It's annoying."

**"I couldn't agree more," **Shiro growled from his position on the ground, where he'd lied down a minute prior. His hands were behind his head and his eyes were closed; the very picture of relaxation. Jacob glanced down at him with some surprise, as if he hadn't noticed Shiro lying there. **"However," **Shiro continued, opening his right eye and glaring at Jacob with it. **"Right now, you're being more annoying than Ichigo. So if you would kindly fuck off, that'd be nice."**

"Shut up," Jacob snapped. "I'm not going anywhere. I've got business with Kurosaki Ichigo, not you."

Shiro's eye sparkled with something slightly more twisted than amusement before it closed.

**"Really? Then I guess I won't bother you."**

"Traitor," Ichigo muttered, just loud enough for Shiro to hear.

**"If you really need my help for something like this," **Shiro responded in the same tone, **"then you don't deserve to be King."**

With a disgusted sigh, Ichigo slowly got to his feet, hiding a smirk when he discovered that he was a little taller than the boy that was challenging him.

"What. Do. You. Want?" He repeated, his voice taking on a dangerous tone. Riku and Kira stood up as well, eyeing Jacob's buddies with wary gazes. Jacob smirked, confident in his numbers.

"Oh, nothing. Just some revenge on a Rukongai upstart who thinks he's all that just because mommy and daddy kicked the bucket early and left a powerful kid in their wake. Listen up: you're not all that. Whatever skill you think you have is a fluke, Kurosaki."

Externally, Ichigo was calm, his expression unwavering and his body still. Internally, however, he was seething, his anger roaring to be let loose. Judging from the way Shiro was grimacing, the Hollow was feeling Ichigo's emotions as well. The strange thing that Ichigo noted about his feelings was that some of them seemed to be originating from his inner Hollow. Was Shiro angry at what Jacob had said too?

"Shut up."

Ichigo's voice, when he spoke, did not shake. There was nothing but cold fury lacing his words that sent shivers down Jacob's spine, though he tried not to show his fear. Upon seeing the murderous intent in Ichigo's left eye, however, Jacob couldn't help the slight widening of his own eyes as his heartbeat doubled, adrenaline flooding his body when he realized that his decision to challenge the upstart new kid maybe hadn't been such a good idea.

"I don't want to get in a fight," Ichigo continued, his voice still icy. "I mean, I've got a lot riding on this, and I'm not going to have one jealous guy fucking it up for me. So, _Jacob_, leave. Or things are going to get messy."

"You're bluffing," Jacob scoffed. Ichigo's anger was one thing; anyone could get angry. His words, on the other hand, were ridiculous. Jacob had seen Ichigo fight; while the orange-haired boy was good, he wasn't _that_ good. And since Jacob had already been essentially "held back" a year at the Academy and was trying not to show all of his skills, he figured that beating up the first year wouldn't be too much trouble, especially since no teachers came out onto the field during lunchtime.

Ichigo glanced back at Kira and Riku, having a silent conversation in less than five seconds that ended with both Isuke siblings scowling. Slowly, they backed off, glares directed at the group of boys standing in front of a distinctly calm Ichigo.

"Last chance," Ichigo warned coldly. "I don't want a fight."

Actually, at this point, Ichigo was almost eager to teach the boys in front of him a lesson. He didn't know or care if the overwhelming desire to punch Jacob in the face came from his inner Hollow; what Ichigo did know was that Jacob had started the confrontation and obviously intended to see it through.

_As long as I'm not the one to actually start it_, Ichigo mused to himself, _I don't think there should be a problem. There are plenty of witnesses anyway, and I know Kira and Riku will back me up. I just need to keep my strength in check and not injure anyone past the point where it's necessary._

Either Ichigo didn't notice the smirk that crossed Shiro's features momentarily or he didn't want to notice; it was difficult to tell.

"You're just scared," Jacob scoffed, widening his stance and raising his fists. Inwardly, Ichigo smiled, but he kept his outward appearance uncaring. "Scared that you're going to get your ass kicked by a buncha guys you thought you were better than!"

_That's really not it, _Ichigo thought, but he didn't voice the words out loud. They would only anger Jacob, as stupid as that seemed. Instead, Ichigo stayed where he was, letting the other six boys that were with Jacob surround him. Apparently, Kira and Riku weren't targets; they were simply pushed out of the way. Though Kira protested at first, Riku quieted her and took a few steps back. When he looked at Ichigo, there was trust in his eyes.

Riku knew that Ichigo could handle these guys.

"Shiro," Ichigo called, momentarily glancing away from Jacob.

**"What?"** The albino replied with no small amount of irritation. **"If you're going to ask for my help-"**

"I'm not," Ichigo interrupted. "I was just thinking that you might want to back up a bit. Things aren't going to stay in this tiny circle, so . . ."

With some annoyed muttering, Shiro got up and took a few steps away before resuming his previous position on the ground.

Jacob, taking Ichigo's lack of worry as a personal insult, finally ran out of patience. With a cry, he jumped forward, pulling his fist back in preparation.

"Attacking while I'm not looking?" Ichigo said softly, taking a step to the side and letting Jacob go sailing past him. "That's just wrong."

Ichigo knew exactly what to say to get a rise out of Jacob and those two sentences did the trick nicely. Spitting insults, Jacob turned and advanced more slowly, determined to hit Ichigo this time. The other boys tightened the circle, probably thinking that it would make the fight more difficult for Ichigo.

In reality, they were just putting themselves in range.

When Jacob threw his next punch, Ichigo grabbed him by the wrist, sidestepped, and launched Jacob into the two boys that had unfortunately been standing behind Ichigo. They went sprawling since Jacob hadn't recovered his balance in time to stop himself from falling over.

Immediately, the four other kids stepped forward. For once, they weren't coming one at a time, which meant that Ichigo might actually have to try.

The substitute Shinigami ducked the first punch, blocked the second and third, and accepted the fourth one to his shoulder. In retaliation, he swept the legs out from one of his attackers and, as he fell, Ichigo shoved another boy on top of him.

Ichigo hissed through his teeth as the wound in his chest pulsed, momentarily making him pause as pain lanced throughout his body. _Please let the wound still be closed_, Ichigo thought in the back of his mind.

A dull impact between Ichigo's shoulder blades let him know that the other two boys weren't done just yet. Repressing a sigh, Ichigo turned and caught the oncoming kick, holding the attacker's foot high in the air so that the student had difficulty keeping his balance. The strain made Ichigo want to wince from the pressure it put on his injury, but he managed to keep his expression calm and collected.

"Let him go!" The other boy yelled, throwing a punch of his own. Effortlessly, Ichigo caught the blow and squeezed hard, slowly crushing the boy's hand. The kid yelped, his eyes watering at the sudden pain. Deciding that the fight was over – since none of the students who'd been thrown down seemed to be eager to get up, including Jacob – Ichigo threw the final two students away from him in a burst of energy, swearing mentally at the pain it caused him while maintaining the façade he'd had up the entire fight, if the confrontation could even be called that much.

"Just leave," Ichigo said quietly, "and I'll pretend like this never happened."

Jacob spat one last insult in Ichigo's direction that was just barely too quiet to be understandable and then scrambled away, his gang following in his wake. Soon, they were gone from the field. Vaguely, Ichigo could see that the noble kid who'd been watching the whole time had turned away and resumed talking to his own friends. While Ichigo was suspicious of that student, he really couldn't bring himself to care that much right at that point.

As if the whole ordeal hadn't just occurred, Ichigo turned and sat back down, picking up his water and taking a long drink. Riku and Kira stared, not sure what to say. They had no idea what they _could _say. Sure, they knew that Ichigo was strong, but to be able to take on seven opponents at once without really injuring any of them while being at reduced power was still impressive.

**"That was pathetic," **Shiro stated, his eyes still closed.

"I didn't see you getting up and helping," Ichigo replied mildly, seemingly determined to ignore Shiro's comments for the time being while he gently prodded his chest, making sure that the wound was still closed.

**"You didn't need it."**

"So why was it pathetic?"

**"You didn't hurt anyone."**

"Do you _want_ to lose the bet? Of course, I hear that the Fourth Division is really comfortable now –"

**"Shut up."**

"That's what I was going to say." As he spoke, Ichigo felt relief sweep through him. His wound was still closed, luckily.

Kira, meanwhile, was thinking a mile a minute. Clearly, Ichigo knew how to handle himself in fights, whether it was with a sword or not. He also seemed like a nice guy, and wasn't a cruel fighter even when he obviously had the upper hand. On top of that, he'd defended Kira's younger sister without a second thought . . . Though Kira didn't like to think about what happened that day – mostly because her memories were still fuzzy – she knew the gist of what had happened.

Long story short, Kurosaki Ichigo was _skilled_. He had to be, especially since he defeated Aizen. Therefore, there was one thing that Kira had to ask of him.

"Hey, Ichigo?" She queried, putting on her most serious expression. Ichigo, picking up on her tone, braced himself for whatever was coming next.

"Yeah?"

"Can you tutor Mika?"

Ichigo nearly choked on air.

"_What_?!"

"Can you teach my younger sister?" Kira elaborated stubbornly, not willing to give up the idea despite Ichigo's incredulity. In fact, it was somewhat satisfying to see that much emotion on the guy's face; hell, if it was something other than a scowl or a tiny smirk Kira considered her work done.

Ichigo, managing to recover his voice and most of his wits, schooled his expression back into its typical scowl.

"Why do you want me to teach your younger sister?"

_That's not a 'no', _Kira noted with satisfaction. As far as she was concerned, she'd already won.

"So she can defend herself," Kira explained with utmost seriousness. "And I want her to be able to kick the asses of anyone who dares to think that she isn't deserving of their respect."

Kira wanted Mika to get some self-confidence. She wanted her younger sister to be able to stand up for herself, for times when Kira or Riku couldn't get there. The scare before classes started was more than enough for Kira to start thinking about possible options in the back of her mind, and now that Ichigo had demonstrated that he was more than capable it seemed like the best option.

Ichigo stared at the blue-haired girl in front of him, at a loss for words.

Shiro, on the other hand, had regained his trademark (sadistic) smile.

**"Ya realize that trainin' with Ichigo means trainin' with me, right? We're not supposed to be separated, after all."**

Kira flinched, evidently not having thought about that.

"And we'll need supervision," Ichigo mused, though he still looked uncertain about the whole ordeal. "I have a feeling that the Head Captain would sooner kill me himself than let me train someone on my own."

Mentally, Kira was cheering, but she was careful to keep her expression neutral. There was no telling if Ichigo was going to change his mind, so Kira was trying to be as persuasive as possible, without actually seeming desperate.

"I'm sure that red-headed lieutenant would be okay with watching," Riku said thoughtfully. "The one that told you about that meeting."

"Renji?" Ichigo clarified, the corners of his mouth turning down as he examined that possibility. "Yeah, he'd work. And Rukia, I guess. Those two go together, and I doubt Rukia will pass up the opportunity to see me. Same with Renji, actually, what with the bet and everything."

"So you'll do it?" Kira asked, her eyes and voice filled with hope. Riku watched, smiling. In truth, he'd always wanted to help Mika grow stronger as well, but he'd never been able to find time or a way that would work for the smaller girl. Plus, Riku couldn't boast the same kind of skill that Ichigo clearly had under his belt.

Ichigo sighed, closing his eyes. "Ah, what the hell. I'll do it."

Everyone on the field heard Kira's whoop of triumph.

* * *

_A/N So, yeah. Ichigo agreed (is anyone surprised?), and he beat up some Americans who really should've been paying more attention._

**_Reviews:_**

**_Krazyfanfiction1: _**_I have no idea what that worm thing is. I'd always assumed that it was what happened when Ichigo gained his hollow hole __under certain conditions, but I'm not sure. Thank you for reviewing so much!_

_**Guest:** Shiro _is_ pretty awesome._

**_Chrizburrow:_**_ Every fandom has its crazy people. I hope you enjoyed!_

**_Guest:_**_ The "I told you so" will be pretty violent. Lieutenant level for Ichigo is struggling because he's not used to that level of power; therefore, the way he subconsciously uses his Reiatsu for speed and strength is thrown off, further damaging his fighting prowess._

**_Kira Akuma:_**_ Thanks for reviewing, and I'm pretty sure we already cleared that up in the PM conversation, but for the sake of redundancy it's just the story that is being read, not the author's notes._

_Thanks for reviewing, everyone!_

_Until next time,_

_-RoR_

_Coming up (in more time than normal; but it's a teaser this time!): Renji struggled to hold his friend in check. "Rukia, please! Not in public!"_

_Please review._


	20. Chapter 20

_I'm back! Sorry about the brief hiatus, but I knew I wouldn't be able to type last week because of my school year starting. The extra time let me get my chapter buffer back up to where I like it to be, so hopefully I won't need another break for at least a few weeks. I really appreciate all the support you guys are giving this story, and I guarantee the plot will be seriously picking up within the next ten chapters! (I can't say anything else at the risk of spoilers . . .)_

* * *

Chapter 20

Incredibly, Ichigo found that he was able to train Mika with no resistance from the Head Captain – who said that the experience may be able to "teach you some responsibility", which Ichigo found insulting (just who had cleaned up the Gotei 13's mess again?) – or anyone else. Renji and Rukia were more than willing to supervise the training to keep an eye on Ichigo in case something went wrong, with Renji claiming that he wanted to see it just to make sure that Ichigo "wouldn't try anything funny".

Both Ichigo and Rukia had punched him at that comment, with Ichigo yelling something along the lines of "she's a little kid, you pervert!" Luckily, none of the Isuke siblings had been present at that moment.

The Shinigami Women's Association had quickly found out the news and pestered Ichigo to let them "watch" (stalk) a few of the training sessions for pictures on their upcoming calendar. Apparently, the theme was going to be "Substitute Shinigami".

Ichigo's thinking when he heard that title was something along the lines of _why me_. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it without earning the ire of some of the most powerful and intimidating women in the Seireitei. On top of that, Ichigo didn't want to see what Yachiru was like when she was told "no". He was convinced that Kenpachi only took on the hyper lieutenant so that she wouldn't cause more damage somewhere else. Therefore, he had agreed, but he warned them not to come to the first few just so he could get the hang of it. Surprisingly enough, the SWA had agreed.

At the moment, Ichigo was waiting outside the boys' dorm rooms; his arms were crossed and his scowl was back in full force. Shiro was by his side, smirking as if he found the whole situation amusing. Kira was getting Mika, while Riku was off doing his own thing, though he had promised to show up to watch his sister train, so he would be there momentarily.

It was two weeks after Ichigo had agreed to train Mika, and in that time Ichigo's wound had finally healed. They had agreed to wait that long simply so Mika would have time to get an Asauchi in order to train with Ichigo, though the Substitute Shinigami had told Kira that he would be going easy for the first few days of training. Well, he had lied about the "going easy" part, but Kira didn't need to know that. Mika would be joining Ichigo at his usual training area every day of the week after normal classes, with Renji and Shiro accompanying them.

Somehow, Shiro had managed to get permission to be there to train Mika as well, though Renji was going to keep a _very_ close eye on the Hollow.

The strangest thing was Mika hadn't said a word about the matter. Other than giving her sister a small smile at the news, Mika had taken the whole "being trained by Kurosaki Ichigo, the guy who beat Aizen" deal in stride. In fact, she looked more excited when she heard that she was going to be trained by Shiro as well, which had concerned Kira and Riku slightly.

Ichigo let out a sigh while leaning back against the tree he was under. It was a nice day, though the temperature had been steadily dropping throughout the last few days. While it wasn't necessarily cold – Shinigami and souls with spirit energy had natural resistance to temperature – it was definitely brisk, with a sharp breeze that blew through the area, stirring up small swirls of dirt and leaves.

"I don't know if I can do this," Ichigo muttered. "I mean, I know I can. I just don't think it should be me. I've never been a teacher! I learned by getting my ass kicked!"

**"Hey, at least you managed to seal your Zanpakutō," **Shiro replied smugly. **"That's something."**

"Barely," Ichigo snorted. "And I only did it the night before we were supposed to be getting our Asauchi in Zanjutsu. I'm just lucky that Ōnabara managed to sneak Zangetsu into the ones he handed out before class so nobody would get suspicious."

In fact, Ichigo had spent countless hours with Captain Ukitake in the past week, learning to better control his Reiatsu. Achieving the Final Getsuga Tenshō had already strengthened his control, but those extra sessions only helped. Now, Ichigo was able to keep his Zanpakutō in a sealed state whenever he needed – though he still preferred Shikai – without draining his Reiryoku reserves an absurd amount, though sealing the blade did significantly reduce the amount of Reiatsu Ichigo could normally exhibit. Even more impressively, Ichigo had managed to dissipate his sword into spirit particles and then bring it back, though he did nearly pass out during the attempt.

Ukitake had simply told Ichigo to stick to keeping his sword sealed. That in itself was an accomplishment worthy of Ichigo's pride.

Ichigo wasn't surprised at Zangetsu's sealed form. It was reminiscent of the blade Ichigo had gained from Rukia's powers, though it was the size of a normal katana. With a red hilt and flame designs on its rectangular Tsuba, it was practically identical, but with minor variations and no tassel. Specifically, the delicate silver and black threads that wound through the red on the hilt changed the sealed sword's appearance, distinguishing it from its prior look. Because Ichigo wasn't comfortable with holding the sword at his waist, he kept it slung over his back, held in place in a jet-black sheath by the red strap that wound around his shoulders. The sheath, for some reason, had appeared with Ichigo's sealing of Zangetsu, and disappeared when Ichigo released his blade. It also contained difficult-to-see black designs on it, which Ichigo personally found to be a bit much. However, he wasn't really in a place to complain. He'd been so relieved when he finally managed to seal Zangetsu that he'd just collapsed and taken his weapon's new appearance in stride.

Of course, sealing the blade had only been more difficult with the strange absence of Ichigo's Zanpakutō spirit. However, Ichigo had managed, with Shiro following in his footsteps thanks to their connection.

Bored, Ichigo examined his sheath again, for the first time realizing that the patterns on it resembled chains. _Is this a hint at my bankai's appearance?_ Ichigo wondered. _And what's with the lack of a tassel? It's nice, but it doesn't make sense._

Along with the classes receiving Asauchi (the normal classes had followed the Advanced Classes the next week), the course for Zanpakutō meditation had also begun. The instructor was Ōnabara, which Ichigo supposed made sense since the guy did teach the Zanjutsu course. The entire time, students were instructed to try and perform Jinzen, with a demonstration of the proper form.

Ichigo simply spent that time trying to find Zangetsu in his inner world, with Shiro joining him, albeit with various muttered complaints.

With a barely audible sigh, Ichigo slung his sword and sheath back over his shoulder, the motion already familiar. Shiro watched, bemused, his own white sheath on his back.

**"What's the matter? You look . . ."** He paused, and then smirked wider.** "Confused."**

"I do not."

Shiro's knowing expression spoke volumes about the Hollow's doubt in Ichigo's statement. Groaning, Ichigo leaned his head back and stared up at the branches above his head. The leaves rustled slightly in the breeze that had sprung up, causing the shadows on the ground to constantly shift and change shape.

"It's just . . . I don't like it."

**"Yer gonna have t' be more specific, King."**

"The way Zangetsu is sealed. It feels wrong."

Ichigo missed the flicker of – was that triumph? – in Shiro's eyes.

**"Wrong?"** Shiro repeated, struggling to keep his voice at its normal mocking level. _Fucking emotions_, he thought bitterly. _Ever since the Hōgyoku, they won't fucking stop!_

"Mhm," Ichigo replied. "It doesn't feel . . . ah, never mind. It's probably my imagination. Mr. Hat-n'-Clogs would probably say that it's because of our Reiatsu or whatever."

Whatever emotion Shiro had been feeling was abruptly shut away as the Hollow scowled, though that was quickly covered up by a smirk his smirk. Ichigo didn't notice, still looking up at the sky.

**"Yer probably just bein' stupid."**

"Says the guy that only learned Bankai because I did."

**"You took yer time doin' that!"**

"I did it in three days!"

**"And nearly died while usin' it!"**

"What? No! That was just Byakuya."

**"Sure it was," **Shiro drawled, turning away.

Ichigo did feel as if there was something off about his sealed Zanpakutō – something missing, maybe? – but he couldn't put his finger on the feeling. He attributed it to missing a piece of his power, which would explain the strange emptiness emanating from the blade.

"Where are Kira and Mika?" He wondered aloud. "Kira said she'd be back in five minutes. It's been ten."

"No need to get your panties in a twist, Ichigo," a voice called out mockingly, though the person speaking sounded more amused than angry.

Ichigo turned and saw a familiar face grinning at him. "Renji."

"Don't you dare forget me, fool!"

Another person detached themselves from Renji's shadow, her petite frame and violet eyes easily distinguishing her.

"Oh, hey Rukia. Sorry. I didn't see you behind Renji."

Ichigo didn't realize the error of his words until it was far too late. Before he knew it, he was on the ground, rubbing the sore side of his face while Rukia shook out her hand, a miffed expression on her face while she studiously avoided making eye contact with Ichigo; in that moment, she channeled more of the Kuchiki clan snobbery than Ichigo had ever cared to see.

"Hey!"

"You deserved it for calling me short."

"I didn't-!"

"Ah, Rukia?" Renji interrupted. "Wasn't there something that you wanted to tell Ichigo?"

Somehow, those few words managed to stop Rukia's irritation in its tracks and subsequently confuse Ichigo.

"Something . . . you want to tell me? Rukia, what is it?"

For some reason, that question brought Rukia's annoyance back in full force, because Ichigo found himself on the ground again, right after Rukia had allowed him to stand.

"Ow! Rukia, what the hell?"

"You fool! Have you gone blind since I last saw you?"

"No," Ichigo managed to gasp, having some difficulty since Rukia's foot was digging into his back. Silently, the Substitute Shinigami thanked the heavens that no one from the Academy was nearby. His reputation would've been destroyed. "Rukia, _would you please get off_?"

Something in his tone made Rukia stop pressing down and she took a few steps back, arms crossed, as Ichigo climbed to his feet for the second time in so many minutes. He went carefully, training his eyes on the petite Shinigami nearby in case she decided to attack him again.

And then Ichigo wanted to hit himself when he saw Rukia's position. How could he not have noticed? She'd shortened the sleeves of her Shihakushō, and was now wearing fingerless white tekkō that stretched past her elbows. There was one other major detail that Ichigo could not believe he missed.

"You . . . cut your hair," Ichigo realized. It was the opposite of what Renji had been doing; the redhead had been growing his out, and had swapped his usual white bandana for a maroon one. The guy had even started wearing armbands the same shade as his bandana.

Rukia's eye twitched and her eyes sparked with murderous intent. Renji had to hold her back as she fought to get at a very confused Ichigo, kicking and yelling.

"Uh," Ichigo said, puzzled. "Was it something I said?"

Renji grunted from the effort of holding the furious Rukia back. "Ichigo, you idiot. Look at her arm!"

Following Renji's instructions, Ichigo glanced down at Rukia's left arm.

He choked, and Shiro - who had been watching the whole exchange with distant interest - raised an eyebrow.

"L – _Lieutenant_?" Ichigo managed, his voice laced with shock.

There, in plain sight, was the armband of a lieutenant, wrapped around Rukia's left arm. It bore the symbol and number of the Thirteenth Division, so there was no doubt in Ichigo's mind that it was not a fake, not that Rukia would ever agree to do such a thing as a prank.

Immediately, Ichigo felt a surge of pride for his friend. He knew that Rukia more than deserved that rank. The only thing that had been holding her back for so long was the concern of her older brother, Byakuya Kuchiki. After the battles with Aizen and his Arrancar, Rukia proved her skill plenty of times over. It figured that her brother would eventually relent and allow Rukia to be promoted, since she was certainly more than qualified for the position of Lieutenant.

For the first time in a while, Ichigo smiled. Genuinely.

"Congrats, Rukia."

Her eyes shone and her anger evaporated when she heard Ichigo's words of praise. The Substitute Shinigami had never been on for long speeches, so getting that much out of him was akin to pulling teeth.

And then Ichigo completely ruined the mood with his next words.

"Took you long enough."

"Why you little-!"

Renji struggled to hold his friend in check. "Rukia, please! Not in public!"

"Um, are we interrupting something?"

Everyone turned to see Kira and Mika walking towards them, with Kira holding Mika's hand. The older sister was smiling slightly, clearly finding the sight of a girl trying to attack Ichigo hilarious.

Abruptly, she stopped, her eyes going wide.

"Lieutenants!" She said, shocked upon seeing the distinguishing badges. Kira went into a hasty bow, with Mika following suit. And then Riku made his appearance, sprinting up behind his sisters while apologizing for being late, only to see the Lieutenants and drop into a bow of his own.

"Don't do that, Kira, Riku, Mika," Ichigo called. "Get over here. These are the guys who are going to watch our training, 'kay?"

Kira was somewhat caught off-guard by how casual Ichigo was acting – he was in the presence of two lieutenants, dammit! – but nevertheless she gently led her younger sister up to them, plastering a (hopefully not apprehensive) smile on her face. Riku followed, his own confusion in his eyes but a small amount of confidence in his step.

"Hello," Kira chirped. "My name is Isuke Kira, and this is my younger sister Mika and my older brother Riku."

Mika didn't say anything, but she did offer a small wave. For her, that was a pretty big step. Riku gave a stiff nod, finding himself at a loss for words.

"Abarai Renji," Renji said, smiling in a way that showed how awkward he was feeling.

"Kuchiki Rukia," Rukia stated, a small grin pulling on her lips. She was handling the introduction with considerably more grace than her red-haired friend.

Ichigo stared at Kira, mentally noting that she could go from confused to outright cheery faster than Shiro could go from mental to serious. Apparently she was a better actor than her actions would lead someone to believe.

**"Introductions are nice and all," **Shiro drawled from the background, **"but can we go? This is boring."**

"We'd hate for you to get bored," Ichigo snapped sarcastically. Shiro gave him a half-hearted glare, but didn't respond.

"So . . . " Riku started, letting his voice trail off in a feeble effort to drum up some conversation.

Kira was still looking at the two lieutenants in front of her with something approaching adoration while Mika had turned to stare at Shiro. All parties on the receiving ends of those looks were suitably uncomfortable, with the possible exception of Ichigo's inner Hollow, but that was only because he was hiding whatever he was feeling behind a malicious smile.

Ichigo, seeing how things were getting very stilted very quickly, decided to take action.

"Let's go," he said, disappearing in an impressive - to Kira, Riku, and Mika, at least - display of Shunpo and knowing that the others would come after him on their own. Shiro followed suit, with Rukia and Renji grabbing Kira and Mika respectively, though Renji also ended up having to grab Riku, which he proceeded to grumble about the entire way over to the training grounds.

Unfortunately for the rest of the group, it was a very long way to the training grounds.

By the time Ichigo and company arrived, Ichigo was out of breath – _damn my weakness _– and silently cursing Shiro for deciding to try and attract three Hollows he had sensed on the way over without telling anyone else.

_That_ had been quite the jump scare, but Shiro had just given a disgusted sigh, stated, "they're so much weaker than I thought they'd be", and killed them off before Rukia and Renji even arrived at the scene. All they saw were dissipating black particles of Reishi, and Ichigo's exasperated look accompanied by Shiro's disappointed scowl said everything they needed to know about the situation.

Renji and Rukia set their passengers down gently; well, Rukia did. The lieutenant of the Sixth Division unceremoniously dumped Riku on the ground while graciously setting Mika down. Riku coughed and spluttered from his position in the dirt, and even he was having difficulty believing that the redhead in front of him was a lieutenant. He was too . . . casual.

_Is Ichigo really friends with these two? _Riku wondered as he got up, though he knew the answer. Ichigo had his own kind of charisma in the way that he wasn't respectful, he was blunt to the point of just being plain rude, and he was fiercely (recklessly) loyal to his friends.

Maybe that was why Riku, Kira, and Mika had bonded with Ichigo so quickly and easily. Of course, that bond extended to Shiro, but the Hollow was just a little too insane for anyone's tastes. How Ichigo could stand the guy, Riku would never know. Maybe it came with the fact that Shiro was technically a part of Ichigo, if Riku had understood that part of the meeting correctly. Riku had to admit, Ichigo impressed him. The guy had an Inner Hollow and wasn't insane, had the patience to deal with Kira even when he clearly wasn't up to it, and treated each of his friends with respect.

It didn't hurt that Ichigo was also supposed to be insanely powerful when at full strength.

"Uh, Ichigo?" Renji muttered, looking around the training ground and seeing the massive ruts and what looked like craters from explosions scattered across the landscape. Even with the massive size of the field, some of the surrounding trees had been blown away or shattered from some unknown force. "What happened to the training field?"

"Oh, um, Shiro and I were training last Sunday. I was practicing my Getsuga Tenshō." Seeing suspicious looks, Ichigo hastily added, "Captain Unohana volunteered to watch me to make sure I was healed, okay?"

**"Your Getsuga Tenshō still sucks," **Shiro commented.

"Maybe that's because you wouldn't even give me pointers until I was able to hit you with an attack that you couldn't dissipate with one hand!"

**"It's my attack!"**

"You're a crappy teacher!"

**"You're a crappy student!"**

Though the logistics weren't the best, Ichigo and Shiro's method of training actually worked well. Shiro, after much deliberation – none of which Ichigo knew about – had agreed to train Ichigo on one condition. At first, Ichigo had refused, but Shiro was adamant. Eventually, the Substitute Shinigami had accepted, and Shiro had begun teaching his King how to not absolutely suck at fighting.

As the Hollow had so graciously pointed out during one of their spars, **"ya can't seriously expect t' win too many more fights with nothin' but yer boring, normal Getsuga Tenshō and a fancy sword, can ya?"**

That statement had been followed by Shiro giving a demonstration of each of the different types of Getsuga Tenshō.

By using Ichigo as a test dummy.

There was the spiraling, homing Getsuga Tenshō, the one that Shiro had first unleashed against Byakuya Kuchiki at Sōkyoku Hill.

There was the seemingly normal one that exploded on contact with anything it touched.

There was the most powerful one, which Shiro had used during combat against Ichigo in Ichigo's inner world, that exploded directly after being released from the blade in a massive explosion that would down most enemies in a single shot but also ran the risk of injuring its user.

Finally, there were smaller versions of the attack, scaled-down so that Ichigo could release multiple ones as distractions during a fight without draining his reserves. They were also painful, and not an attack that anyone could just ignore. If used right, the smaller energy waves could be more dangerous than Ichigo's usual Getsuga Tenshō.

And that hadn't even been half of what Shiro had berated Ichigo on not learning that day. They had spent three hours alone on getting Ichigo to learn the proper way to spin Zangetsu by the cloth on its hilt without running the risk of hitting himself – and holy _shit_ did Shiro have the time of his life during that part with the number of times that Ichigo screwed up – while also learning how to do the same thing with Tensa Zangetsu. Due to the pair's decreased energy reserves, however, the time spent in bankai had been kept to a minimum.

Plus, while in Bankai Shiro nearly went insane, and only Unohana's intervention had prevented the Hollow from running Ichigo through. The training session had ended after that, but there was something Ichigo remembered his Hollow saying to him after the incident that confused him.

**_"Sorry," _**he had said.

Ichigo never knew that Shiro had been capable of apologizing like that; he figured that the Hollow would be disappointed that Unohana stopped him from doing anything. Strangely, Shiro wasn't, and he refused to elaborate on his reasons why, instead choosing to point out all of the ways that Ichigo would need to work on his technique to make it not suck.

"Hey, Ichigo?" Kira said, interrupting Ichigo's musings. He glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.

"What's up?"

Kira momentarily fumbled for words, but when she spoke, her voice was strong. "I just wanted to say thank you. You know, for everything."

Ichigo was taken aback for a moment before a small smile tugged on his lips. "Hey, you don't need to thank me. I'm just helping out; it's a way for me to pass the time, anyway."

"You say it like there's something wrong with the schedule we picked out," Rukia commented, annoyed.

"You didn't even pick out a schedule!" Ichigo snapped heatedly. Rukia's answering smirk told him all he needed to know.

"True."

**"Hey! What the hell are ya doin'?"**

Everyone turned at the sound of Shiro's annoyed voice, with Ichigo doing it so quickly he nearly gave himself whiplash. At some point during the conversation, Mika had detached herself from her sister's side and wandered over to where Shiro was sitting. Currently, she was messing with the Zanpakutō on his back; it was similar to the one she wore at her waist, though Mika's hilt was a generic gray (it had taken an absurd amount of convincing on Ichigo's part to allow Mika, Kira, and Riku to take their Asauchi off the Academy grounds for training). She wasn't drawing the blade from its sheath, but Shiro was clearly annoyed from the close observation of his sword.

**"Will ya quit it?" **Shiro snapped, yanking his sword away from Mika. **"Play with yer own, dammit!"**

Mika didn't listen, but Ichigo didn't miss the sly look that entered her eyes and pulled at the corners of her mouth.

For someone who didn't speak, Mika could communicate her feelings absurdly well with just body language. Right now, Ichigo could tell that she was enjoying herself thoroughly.

"I guess training is starting now," Renji joked. Ichigo smirked.

'Yeah, something like that. Hey, Kira?"

"Huh?"

"You don't mind if I'm a little rough on your sister, right?"

Though she was taken aback, Kira shook her head. "No, I'm fine with that. Just . . . please don't do anything extreme."

There was naked concern in her voice and Ichigo grinned.

"No need to worry. I just wanted to make sure."

Ichigo vanished in a burst of Flash Step and reappeared next to Shiro and Mika. With deceptive ease, the Substitute Shinigami picked Shiro up by the back of his robe and threw him a few yards away, and then crouched down to talk with Mika.

While Shiro strung together every known insult in a stunning variety of phrases, Ichigo and Mika talked, with Mika doing a fair bit of nodding, though her mouth never once opened.

"What's he doing?" Rukia wondered.

"Probably telling that Mika girl how he's going to be training her," Renji answered, examining the scene with a critical eye. "Isuke Mika seems to get distracted by Shiro, so Ichigo threw him away and forced her to pay attention to him. Smart."

"Shiro doesn't think so," Rukia pointed out with a wry grin. Kira just watched, her anxiety mirrored on her brother's face.

A while ago, they had agreed that they wouldn't approach Ichigo for help until after he brought it up himself. After all, he was doing them a service by agreeing to help Mika, so it was only logical that –

"Boo."

Brother and sister leapt gracefully through the air in fright before crashing back down to the ground. Ichigo stood in front of them, smirking, Mika by his side.

"Ow," Kira groaned. "Why'd you do that?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes as if he thought the answer should be obvious. To him, it was.

"You two can't just be standing here, watching me train your sister. It's kind of stupid. If I'm going to come all the way out here, and you guys are going to follow me, then you might as well join in on the fun."

The humorless way Ichigo said "fun" hinted that he meant something entirely the opposite.

"W- we couldn't," Kira started, "that's too much to ask."

Ichigo cocked an eyebrow.

"Too much to ask?" He repeated. "Listen, you are not even close to the 'too much to ask' mark. Trust me."

Renji and Rukia had the decency to look down at that statement, thinking about all the responsibility Ichigo had shouldered, partially on the behalf of the Gotei Thirteen. Ichigo pretended not to notice their reactions, though the slight flicker in his eyes betrayed him.

"Now c'mon," Ichigo said, his eyes hardening. "We've got a schedule to keep."

Ichigo's method of training the Isuke siblings was simple, effective, and on the edge between brutal and cruel. The only two warnings Ichigo and Shiro gave were the unsheathing of their swords, and the clear hint that Mika, Riku, and Kira should do the same.

And then the two mirror images of each other struck, with Shiro tackling Riku to the ground and Ichigo going after Kira and Mika at the same time, his sword an indistinguishable blur as Kira desperately blocked, her arm trembling with each impact. _How the hell is he so strong? _She wondered. _He never felt like this during Zanjutsu!_

"He's holding back," Renji muttered, watching the fights. The sound of blade on blade rang throughout the area with sharp clarity, offsetting the silence that had blanketed the training grounds prior to the group's arrival.

"Kira! Get your head up!"

**"Riku, if you don't move your feet you're going to get skewered!"**

"Mika! Knees _bent_!"

Each yelled instruction was punctuated by the ringing of steel, and Kira was sent to the ground, rolling in the dirt. Ichigo watched, his face impassive, as Mika ran to her sister. Riku tried to go as well, but Shiro cut him off with a vicious thrust that the eldest Isuke barely managed to parry.

**"Don't get distracted," **the Hollow hissed, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

Renji and Rukia watched as Ichigo and his Hollow mercilessly attacked their opponents, never giving an inch even when it seemed like they should. Any protests were ignored in favor of harsh commands or corrections.

"It's . . . kind of impressive," Renji found himself admitting. "His teaching style . . . he's always been a learner through combat, so this is the best way."

"I agree," Rukia murmured, her gaze fixed on Ichigo as he roughly pushed Kira's shaking blade aside with his own sword and struck her in the center of her chest with a palm strike. "He's pulling his punches just enough so that the worst they will suffer is bruising, and perhaps small cuts."

The two old friends descended into silence for a few minutes, appreciating the scene in front of them.

Ichigo had been by no means a graceful fighter, but after three months in the Dangai his swordsmanship rivaled that of Zaraki Kenpachi; no step was wasted, no movement was unnecessary. It was almost hypnotic, had it not been for the occasional falter in his movements, like his body wasn't used to moving in the way he wanted it to.

_He may have lost his power, _Rukia mused, _but his swordsmanship is still breathtaking, even if his Reiatsu unbalances his fighting style._

"Rukia," Renji said softly, and something in his tone made Rukia glance in his direction. His expression was serious, matching his voice. "You know why we were actually sent out here," he continued, watching Ichigo. "And I can't help but wonder . . . would we be enough?"

"Renji!" Rukia scolded, trying to snap her friend out of the gloom he'd put himself into. Though she was still tired, she wasn't nearly as exhausted as she had been before. Whatever had been draining her energy was no longer affecting her, and she'd gratefully gone back to completing her full workload. It was just in time for her promotion, too.

"You're thinking it too," Renji muttered. "The Head Captain himself said that the criminal who escaped is a huge threat, not only to the Seireitei but all of Soul Society."

"We'll be enough protection for Ichigo," Rukia stated firmly. "We don't even know if he's going to be targeted, Renji, since his Reiatsu isn't really stable!"

The red haired lieutenant sighed, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "Yeah, I know. But I can't help worrying, Rukia. Every time Ichigo's in Soul Society, _something_ happens."

"Which is usually coincidental," Rukia retorted, "or it's because of weird circumstances."

"I'm not denying that." Renji's voice abruptly became more thoughtful.

"I just . . . I wonder why the Head Captain doesn't want Ichigo to know?"

A slight scream from the field interrupted their talk before Rukia could reply, and the two Shinigami had their Zanpakutō half-drawn before they even registered what they were seeing.

**"Relax," **Shiro growled, glancing at Kira, who had her hands over her mouth and her sword at her feet; she was obviously the source of the scream. **"I'm not gonna kill yer brother."**

The boy in question was struggling, with Shiro's hand around his throat and dangling a foot in the air. Shiro was deceptively strong, and Riku was finding that out firsthand. He thought he'd seen an opening in the Hollow's defense, but it had been nothing more than a trick and Shiro had proceeded to knock Riku's sword out of his hand and pick the boy up by the neck.

"Shiro," Ichigo called warningly, though his face still had that same cold impassiveness that it had held the entire time. Frankly, Rukia found it a little disturbing that Ichigo was that capable of shutting away his emotions so easily.

_A teenager should not do that so easily, _she thought. _It speaks volumes about what Ichigo has been through._

The Hollow rolled his eyes and dropped Riku, who coughed for a few seconds before scrambling for his sword.

And just like that, the temporary impasse had been broken and Ichigo turned, slamming his sword up against Mika's and nearly driving the poor girl into the dirt. Her eyes were wide but there was determination behind them, and Ichigo felt approval well up inside of him, though he was careful not to let it show in his eyes.

Right now, he was not Kira or Mika's friend. He was their opponent, and if they didn't figure that out soon then Ichigo was going to stop holding back.

* * *

Ichigo stared down at the ground in front of him, fighting to keep from sighing. Shiro was next to him, a disappointed expression on his face as he slipped his Zanpakutō back into its sheath. Ichigo had done so minutes ago, when Kira and Mika had gotten so tired that Ichigo was able to block and attack with his bare hands and get the same results as if he were using a blade.

Speaking of Kira and Mika, the two were currently collapsed on the ground, semiconscious and exhausted. They had quite literally run themselves out of energy; unsurprisingly, Mika had fallen first, simply going limp mid-swing of her sword. Kira had called her name, but she had been too tired to do much more than stagger in her sister's direction before she too fell, her eyes closing.

Riku followed about thirty seconds later after lunging at Shiro, only for the Hollow to step out of his way and let him hit the dirt. He didn't get up again.

Ichigo had barely broken a sweat, though the brisk weather did contribute to that slightly. Shiro was in the same boat, though he looked more annoyed.

**"They only lasted for forty minutes," **he said with a downward curve to his lips, clearly annoyed. **"That's pathetic."**

"Not everyone can fight for three months straight," Ichigo replied softly, letting his emotions slowly bleed back into his expression. A natural scowl appeared on his face as he regarded Kira. "We should carry them back to the Academy so they can recover in time for tomorrow."

**"They're lucky you let them do their work first," **Shiro scoffed. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"That's just because the Advanced Teachings instructor decided that it was a great idea to add 'how to complete paperwork' to his curriculum. Anyway, this is probably how it's going to be every day."

**"Che. They might get stronger."**

"That's not what I mean. We're going to work them until they either collapse or run out of time. At this rate, they're going to just collapse."

"Oi, Ichigo!"

Ichigo turned, seeing Renji walking up to him. Rukia was a few steps behind, and Ichigo didn't miss the slight lines of disapproval in her expression. "What's up, Renji?"

"You ready to head back?"

**"We've been ready since these idiots failed," **Shiro put in sarcastically, jabbing a thumb in the general direction of the three unconscious students.

"To be fair, you were pretty harsh on them," Rukia put in equivocally. "More than harsh, actually."

"If they're not learning fast enough at the Academy," Ichigo answered slowly, "then I'm not going to let them have it easy out here. They need experience, and that's not going to come from repeating boring drills or sparring with people who still aren't sure how to hold their swords. If they do, and they face a hollow that they don't know the full abilities of - "

"Okay, okay," Renji interrupted, holding up his hands. "We get it. Let's just get these three home before we all get in trouble for being late."

Without any other words, Shiro, Ichigo, and Renji picked up Mika, Kira, and Riku respectively. Rukia brought up the rear, just in case any Hollows felt like trying their luck.

Kira woke up about halfway back and insisted on walking on her own, right up until she nearly fell out of a tree, the only thing stopping her being Ichigo's hand clamped onto her shoulder. From then on, she had meekly agreed to let the Substitute Shinigami carry her at least to the Shin'ō Academy gates, only to fall asleep on the way there.

Once Ichigo made it back to the Shin'ō Academy, Rukia and Renji left, promising to be back the following day to watch more of Ichigo's training. Mika and her older sister were left with a group of passing female students, since Shiro and Ichigo weren't currently allowed in the female dorms due to Academy rules. Riku was ungracefully dumped on his bed and proceeded to snore, much to Ichigo's annoyance.

**"That was boring," **Shiro declared, jumping up onto his bed. **"They're terrible. I didn't really even have to unsheathe my sword!" **He paused for a beat, then his eyes slid over to where Ichigo was standing at the window, staring outside with a thoughtful look on his face. **"Why did you ask me to unsheathe my sword, anyway? It wasn't necessary."**

Ichigo didn't reply, the only indication that he heard Shiro's words being the way his eyes narrowed slightly. Otherwise, he kept looking outside, at the view of a training field. Normally, he would keep the window closed, and Ichigo knew that the shutters had been shut before he left.

**"Hey, King! You deaf or somethin'?"**

"Did you open the window?"

**"What?"**

Ichigo turned to face his Hollow, a frown on his face. "I asked if you opened the window."

**"What kinda stupid question is that? Of course I didn't, idiot."**

The orange-haired boy's expression only grew darker.

"Strange. Because I didn't open it either, and Riku wasn't even here."

* * *

_A/N Yep, done. On a cliffhanger._

**_Explanations _**_(for things that I thought needed explaining)**:**_

_**Ichigo's "sealed" sword: **Zangetsu is only partially sealed, since it's not a real Asauchi. Therefore, it's not a full seal, and only looks like it isn't in shikai. Ichigo, however, doesn't know this._

**_Ichigo "dissipating" his sword: _**_Zangetsu isn't really meant to do that, though he can. Therefore, it's not really practical for Ichigo to do so._

_What's the mystery condition that Shiro made Ichigo agree to before training him? That's a very good question!_

**_Reviews:_**

**_Krazyfanfiction1: _**_I know what you mean by the worm thing. I don't fully understand how it works, so I'm not going to use it. It's not central to the plot, anyway._

**_arelia22: _**_I hope you enjoyed the update!_

**_LonerReader:_**_ You're going to like chapter 24. I hope._

**_Nethra:_**_ Happy to hear it!_

**_Guest:_**_ I hope it met your expectations!_

**_iliketoreviewthegoodstries: _**_Shiro's pretty great. _

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I hope to hear from you again! Also, thank you to the follows/favorites you guys have given me!_

_-RoR_

_Coming up: _"Stopping on a cliffhanger, Kurosaki?" Uryū inquired, pushing up his glasses and causing them to flash dangerously. "That seems a little too cliché, don't you agree?" (Clearly, it's a reaction chapter.)

Please review.


	21. Chapter 21

_And we have the next update. Man, I'd better finish this story fast or I'm going to upload faster than I can write._

**_Disclaimer: _**_I do not own Bleach._

* * *

Chapter 21

"Stopping on a cliffhanger, Kurosaki?" Uryū inquired, pushing up his glasses and causing them to flash dangerously. "That seems a little too cliché, don't you agree?"

Ichigo didn't reply; he was gritting his teeth, and he had shut his eyes. Uryū didn't miss the way he was holding his laptop so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"Ichigo?" Orihime asked quietly, eyes wide. There was something wrong with her friend; she was getting an ominous feeling from him, and it wasn't just because he'd read the last few lines of the chapter like someone was choking him.

"Orihime," Ichigo growled, forcing the words out around the presence that was trying to push him out of control. "You hold my laptop. I have to do something."

Just like that, Ichigo handed off his laptop to a very surprised and extremely confused Orihime before he darted out of the room, leaving everyone else staring after him, trying to make sense of what had just occurred.

Rukia and Renji had matching frowns on their faces.

"Did you feel that?" Rukia asked her childhood friend. "That Reiatsu coming from Ichigo . . ."

Renji knew Rukia well enough to pick up on where her thoughts left off. "Yeah. It wasn't his; it was much more twisted."

Uryū had been staring at the door the entire time, his eyes narrowed while his brain analyzed what he had sensed coming from Ichigo.

"That Reiatsu . . ." he murmured, instantly getting the attention of everyone in the room, the story they had been reading forgotten. "That was the spiritual pressure of a Hollow."

* * *

Ichigo made it out of his house and all the way into a back alley between two buildings before his body collapsed, no longer willing to listen to his commands. Rain poured down soaking him to the skin and dripping into his eyes, though a slight overhang provided a meager cover. In response to the rain, Ichigo squeezed his eyes shut, balling his hands into fists as he pushed back against a relentless force.

_In my human body?_ Ichigo thought desperately. _Why? Why now? I get that he was watching earlier when I was reading but why did he have to come out _now _of all times__?_

His inner Hollow gave no reply except for another push for control. Black tendrils began to encroach on Ichigo's vision even as he pushed back, but it was as if he was trying to hold back the weight of the world. His body began shaking, and had he been able, Ichigo would've let out a frustrated cry.

As it was, Ichigo was too far away to do much of anything besides watch.

Previously amber eyes opened slowly as a menacing grin split Kurosaki Ichigo's face. As the teenager began walking back to his home, he blinked, and the sun highlighted his golden irises as it temporarily broke through the clouds that hung suspended over Karakura Town.

* * *

Urahara Kisuke, unassuming owner of the Urahara Shop, frowned at the screens in front of him.

"Already?" He muttered, eyes shadowed by the brim of his hat. "Something must have happened . . ."

The shopkeeper's musings were interrupted as a somewhat panicked Tsukabishi Tessai skidded in front of the doorway.

"I apologize for the interruption, Boss," he said, "but it seems as if the site you were telling me about has been accessed!"

Urahara's eyes narrowed further and he stood up, his fan slipping into place, covering the lower half of his face. "I see. I suppose that would explain what's going on. Prep our gear, Tessai."

The large man nodded, preparing to leave, but was stopped at further words from his Boss, who was looking thoughtful, his true intentions shadowed under the brim of his hat.

"But . . . take your time. I want to see how this plays out."

* * *

"Ichigo!" Karin called, hearing her brother come back through the door that he had run out of earlier. Karin was suspicious of why her brother had left so hurriedly only to come back a few minutes later (in a storm, no less), of course, but following her philosophy she tried to put those suspicions in the back of her mind. "Goat-Chin went to a sudden meeting, and he won't be back until much later!"

She heard her brother give a grunt of acknowledgement, sighed, and went back helping Yuzu make sure the clinic was closed up properly now that the doctor was busy.

Back in Ichigo's room, Rukia and Renji were arguing about whether they should go back to find Ichigo. Rukia had already left her gigai and her hand rested comfortably on the hilt of Sode No Shirayuki, though Rukia had no intention of drawing her blade yet.

Suddenly, Uryū's head shot up.

"He's coming back."

Rukia and Renji relaxed immediately.

"That's a relief," Rukia sighed, taking her hand off her Zanpakutō. "That boy is a fool for making us worry so much."

"You were the main one worrying, Rukia," Renji pointed out, and received a scathing glare for his efforts.

The door to Ichigo's room opened – after being slammed shut during Ichigo's escape – and the teen himself walked through, soaked to the bone. His hair shadowed his eyes, and other than the fact that he was dripping wet he seemed fine.

Uryū broke the sudden silence by getting to his feet and fixing Ichigo with a glare. When he spoke, his words were harsh and uncompromising.

"You're not Ichigo. Who or what are you?"

"Ishida!" Orihime protested, her eyes wide as she wondered what her friend could possibly mean. Clearly, that was Ichigo standing in the doorway; who else could it possibly be?

However, Rukia and Renji had picked up on the same feeling that Uryū had, and they both had their Zanpakutō raised and aimed at Ichigo's throat.

A sadistic smile formed on Ichigo's face and that was all the clarification those present needed to know that this person was most definitely _not _Ichigo.

**"No need to freak out," **Not-Ichigo said, still smiling, his voice a double-toned, higher-pitched version of Ichigo's. Before saying anything else, he slowly turned and closed the door to Ichigo's room, ignoring the way Zabimaru and Sode no Shirayuki were digging into his neck, yet for some reason not drawing blood. When he turned back around, those present could finally see his eyes, and Uryū had to restrain himself from pulling out his Quincy bow right that second.

Ichigo's eyes, instead of their usual brown, were yellow. Even more disturbingly, his sclera had turned black. They were the eyes of a Hollow.

Rukia's grip on her Zanpakutō tightened.

"What are you?" She hissed, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. Had this Hollow possessed Ichigo in order to attack Renji and her? Hollows weren't typically that smart, but there had been unusual Hollow activity in Karakura Town as of late . . .

**"Relax. I'm not here to fight you idiots."**

Then, completely calmly, whatever was controlling Ichigo reached up with his bare hands and pushed Zabimaru and Sode no Shirayuki away from him. His hands were not cut in the slightest.

_Hierro, _Renji realized with a barely noticeable frown.

As if that were normal, Not-Ichigo then strode over to the bed and made to sit down, only to pause, glancing at Uryū.

**"Oi, Quincy. Can you get me a towel or something?"**

Uryū's mouth worked like he couldn't quite form words, but he was clearly angry. Rukia and Renji were similarly stuck in place with shock; clearly, whatever was in control of Ichigo was a Hollow. When the Hollow realized Uryū wasn't going to do anything, he gave an annoyed sigh and got up, grabbing a towel for himself. The motions were all familiar to his friends; had it not been for his voice, his smirk, and his eyes, the intruder looked and moved exactly like Ichigo.

Orihime, however, was flashing back to that night in her apartment with Tatsuki, seeing her brother, nearly dying when he grabbed her and choked her and then blamed her for all of it and oh Kami-

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Ichigo – _no, not Ichigo, _she reminded herself – staring at her. His eyes narrowed in something approaching confusion, then he scowled slightly and turned away.

Orihime hadn't realized that she hadn't been breathing until after he turned away.

**"Before you Shinigami panic too much," **the Hollow drawled, leaning back, **"you should know that Ichigo's fine."**

"What have you done with him?" Renji demanded. "Return him right now!"

The Hollow scoffed. **"Hell no. Do you have any idea how much time it took me just to get strong enough to take over now? Fuck, I wasn't even sure I could do it, but here I am."**

"You didn't answer my question," Renji seethed, Zabimaru still held in his hands. Rukia's eyes flashed with agreement, and Uryū looked three seconds away from drawing his bow. Even Orihime looked determined enough to summon her Shun Shun Rikka. The Hollow took this all in and rolled his eyes, seemingly very irritated by the situation.

**"You guys seem pretty willing to hurt me given that this is Ichigo's body," **he pointed out.

"He'll forgive us," Rukia answered tightly. "And Orihime could heal him."

**"You'd be healing me, too."**

"Ichigo will come back," Renji spat. The Hollow raised an eyebrow.

**"He's not gone, stupid. He's right here." ** He tapped his head. **"Come to think of it, he's probably seeing and hearing all of this right now."**

The Hollow suddenly winced, causing all the people and souls in the room to tense. A moment later, however, he returned to normal.

**"Yeah, he's there. Anyway, I wanted to ask a few things."**

"G-give back Ichigo!" Orihime cried. "He didn't want you to come out!"

**"Shut up," **the Hollow snarled, silencing Orihime with a glare. **"You're annoying. And before you two-" **he glanced at Renji and Rukia- **"even _think_ about 'purifying' me, you should know that I'm technically a part of Ichigo, so that won't work."**

"What?" The two Shinigami asked simultaneously.

**"Don't act so surprised. I'm his . . . 'inner Hollow', so to speak."**

"Not so 'inner' anymore," Uryū muttered, causing the Hollow's grin to widen.

**"For now," **he said. **"That's another reason you shouldn't worry. The King's going to come back soon enough."**

"The 'King"?" Renji repeated while his eyes narrowed. The Hollow waved him off, choosing not to answer the implied question.

**"Whatever. Anyway, I was just minding my own business in Ichigo's inner world when I hear the strangest thing."** His golden irises looked at the laptop that Orihime was still holding onto, and then back towards the two Shinigami. **"Apparently, someone out there knows about me."**

"Ichigo was lying to us earlier," Uryū realized, remarkably calm given the situation.

"Knowing that fool," Rukia stated, "he wouldn't want us to worry."

"He was going to get himself killed," Renji scoffed. "Going into a fight while also fighting yourself is a death sentence."

"Hold on," Uryū interrupted, his eyebrows furrowing. "If this . . . 'Hollow Ichigo' actually exists-"

**"I'm right here, dumbass."**

"-then this story is a lot more accurate than we gave it credit for."

**"That's what I was thinking," **the Hollow acknowledged, though it seemed like the very act of agreeing with Uryū pained him. **"Like it or not, I wasn't going to make my move yet. I was going to slowly drive the King insane until he had no choice but to give me control or completely fall apart."**

"Hold it," Renji growled, finding something very disturbing. "As far as I can tell, this story portrays us kind of accurately-"

"Speak for yourself," Rukia muttered, but Renji ignored her.

"-which means that it would do the same for you, Hollow."

The Hollow's eyes narrowed and a scowl formed on his features, making him look disturbingly like Ichigo. Orihime, for one, actually found that somewhat comforting. _If the story is at least kind of accurate, _she thought, hope welling up inside of her, _then this Hollow isn't like Sora was! Not at all!_

**"What the hell makes you say that?"** The Hollow growled, suddenly a lot more hostile than he had been mere moments before. The air in the room thickened fractionally as Ichigo's inner hollow's Reiatsu unconsciously leaked out, responding to his anger.

"That's why you chose now, isn't it?" Rukia pressed, picking up on what Renji was getting at. "Because someone else found out your reasons, and that bothers you!"

**"You're delusional."**

"But I'm right."

The Hollow was on his feet in an instant, looking like he was about to attack the petite Shinigami, but he found a glowing blue arrow and a _very_ sharp Zanpakutō blade in his face before he could take a single step. Slowly, realizing that he was outmatched – taking over in Ichigo's human body was a pain, in more ways than one – the Hollow sat back down.

"You never said Rukia was wrong," Orihime said quietly, staring intently at the Hollow. "So . . . is that actually true? What's said in the story?"

**"Well I wouldn't fucking know because the 'me' in that story is fucking weak."**

"You're still not giving a definite answer," Renji noted, sheathing Zabimaru.

Briefly, he'd considered reporting this to the Gotei Thirteen. It was definitely a big deal, big enough to warrant visiting his captain. However, it was _Ichigo_. Renji couldn't betray his newest friend so quickly. Therefore, the redhead had come to the conclusion that he would inform his superiors if this "Hollow Ichigo" turned out to be a problem.

The Hollow scowled even more deeply, his eyes darting between Renji and the tip of Sode no Shirayuki.

**"I don't have to tell you people anyth-"**

His eyes suddenly went wide and he froze, choking on the words he had been about to say, his entire demeanor changing in the space of less than a second. Uryū's eyes widened fractionally. _His Reiatsu is fluctuating, _the Quincy realized.

Orihime watched, frozen to the spot, as the black began to drain from Ichigo's eyes. It was almost horrible to watch as his irises darkened back to their normal brown and the last of the darkness disappeared.

"I – Ichigo?" She whispered as the boy's chest rose and fell and he relaxed, his hands falling to his sides.

After a few more moments, Orihime heard Ichigo whisper one word, and she knew he was back.

"Dammit."

He looked up, and fixed Orihime with a piercing stare that said everything he wanted to say but couldn't, the first and foremost of those being _I'm sorry, Orihime._

At that moment, Orihime wanted to cry. Ichigo _knew_; he _understood_ how much pain the Hollow inside of him probably caused Orihime, and the first thing he did after getting his sanity back was apologize to her.

"Yo, Ichigo!" Renji snapped. "What the hell was that?"

"I would like to know that as well," Rukia added, slipping her Zanpakutō back into its sheath.

"Running out like that and then returning as a Hollow," Uryū summarized, glasses flashing. "You have some explaining to do, Kurosaki."

"You guys . . . are handling this a lot better than I thought you would," Ichigo managed, his voice somewhat strangled.

"He didn't attack anyone," Renji noted, "and I trust you. Unless something happens, I don't plan on telling my captain anything just yet."

His words implied that Renji still wasn't sure about that decision, but he was willing to stand by his words for the moment. Rukia seemed to agree with her friend on the matter, much to Ichigo's relief. Ichigo took comfort in that, because when his hollow side was in control he'd thought they were going to decapitate him.

"Be that as it may," Uryū said, "you still have explaining to do."

Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not sure what happened myself. I think it had something to do with Urahara, and how he helped me get my powers back to rescue Rukia. Ever since then, I've had this weird feeling, and when I was fighting Byakuya, I kind of . . . almost died. He was going to kill me."

Rukia looked shocked.

"But then . . . I dunno. It wasn't exactly blacking out. I could still see and hear, but I wasn't in control of my own body. And . . . some of the things I – he – was _feeling_ . . ." Ichigo shuddered; he was unable to put the horrors his Hollow had shown him into words. After a moment, he pulled himself together. "I got control back, though, and finished the fight. You guys know what happened after that."

"You got a Hollow inside of you all to save _me_?" Rukia asked, her voice shaking. Ichigo glanced at her.

"Yeah. What of it?"

He received his answer in the form of a furious slap and a frustrated yell. "You fool! Do you understand those risks? Why would you do something like that?!"

Ichigo smirked, and then gently pushed Rukia's hand away from his face. When he spoke, his eyes shone with determination.

"Rukia, you gave me a chance to save my family and protect those I hold dear. You told me yourself that there was a high chance that I could've died, but I didn't. So why the hell wouldn't I return the favor?"

Rukia was speechless, unable to fully comprehend the sheer loyalty that Ichigo had demonstrated in his reckless actions.

"Plus," Ichigo continued, "you're my friend. I couldn't just abandon you and leave you to die, not when I was able to go after you. I did what I had to do."

"Ichigo."

"What is it, Uryū?"

"Is he still . . . there? Watching?"

Ichigo hesitated for only a second before deciding it was best if he was honest. "Yeah. It's giving me one hell of a headache, too."

It was Orihime who broke the following silence. "Well, that means that there's someone else technically reading the story," she said slowly. "That means . . . we need another vote."

Ichigo stared at her.

Uryū sweatdropped.

Rukia was speechless.

Kon . . . was missing (since he had been thrown into the closet at a point during the reading process and had yet to find a way out).

Renji was stuck between disbelief and confusion.

Through all of that, Orihime smiled, though inwardly she was debating with herself whether this was a good idea. However, she knew it was, because if Ichigo had another person – Hollow, whichever – inside of him, that meant that there was someone else who could vote on the story, which would break any tie that could form. To her, it made perfect sense.

"You want . . . the vote . . . of my _inner Hollow_?" Ichigo asked, his voice slightly strangled like he couldn't believe the words he was hearing. The maniacal laughter in the back of his mind wasn't helping matters either; Ichigo was stuck between burying his head under a convenient pillow and banging his forehead into the nearest wall.

"Orihime . . . " Rukia trailed off, really not sure what she could say.

"What are the votes right now, anyway?" Renji asked, frowning. Rukia sighed and pulled out her sketch pad, checking the tally marks.

"It's Orihime, Ichigo, me, and Uryū against Renji and Kon," Rukia stated.

"I can't believe you want the vote of my inner Hollow," Ichigo groaned. "It's like you guys aren't even taking this seriously."

"Oh, we are," Uryū assured him thinly. "However, at the moment, the story we have been reading takes precedence."

"Great," Ichigo muttered.

"So? Ichigo, are you going to ask him?"

Ichigo stared at Orihime, who was looking at him with wide eyes. He could still see the tiniest flicker of fear in her gaze, but she was doing her best to hide it. With a sigh, Ichigo nodded.

"Sure, whatever."

At the second word, Ichigo went still again. The abrupt change in his spiritual pressure was somewhat expected this time, so no one reacted, though Rukia and Renji's hands got noticeably closer to the hilts of their Zanpakutō.

Ichigo – rather, his inner Hollow – blinked his strangely colored eyes, appearing surprised.

**"Huh. Didn't see that coming."**

"Weren't you listening?" Uryū asked pointedly. The Hollow gave him an annoyed look.

**"Yeah, I was listening. I was expecting him to ask, not let me out."**

"So what's your vote?" Rukia held her pen above the paper, having decided that the Hollow wasn't that much of a threat.

The Hollow looked thoughtful for a moment – as thoughtful as he could get while smiling like he was going to rip someone apart – and then shrugged.

**"Put me down for Ichigo."**

And then, probably to avoid explaining himself, the Hollow abruptly left while taking his twisted Reiatsu with him. Ichigo groaned, rubbing his eyes as the black receded from them.

"It's the weirdest thing to have that happen without a struggle," he said by way of explanation.

"Does it hurt?" Renji asked out of morbid curiosity.

"Not really. It's just weird; like, your-whole-body-is-not-yours weird."

"Still, that makes it five against two," Uryū noticed. "Renji, your side isn't looking too good."

Unconsciously, Renji reached up to touch his hair.

"Eh, you'll see," he said confidently, his words belying his actions. "I'm going to win."

"No you're not," Ichigo scoffed.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"What do you know, Strawberry?"

"More than you, Pineapple!"

"Why you insolent little-!"

Substitute Shinigami and Shinigami lieutenant dissolved into a high-speed exchange of (lame) insults that rapidly faded to the back of everyone else's awareness.

"Hey, Orihime?"

"What is it, Rukia?"

"Would you like to read the next few chapters of the story in Ichigo's place?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly do that," Orihime replied, blushing. "Ichigo and Uryū have been doing all the reading. It's Uryū's turn now."

"Ichigo is a little indisposed at the moment," Uryū commented, pushing up his glasses and making them flash. "And my voice is feeling rather strained."

Rukia gave the Quincy a not-so-subtle thumbs-up, which Orihime somehow didn't notice. She was already mouthing the first few words of the next chapter, her expression filling with focus so single-minded only she could pull it off.

Uryū glanced at the still arguing pair behind him. "I do hope those two stop soon. Otherwise, Orihime will probably get angry, and that is not something I want to see before I'm on my deathbed."

"I have to admit, I am curious about what is happening," Rukia said quietly.

"I am as well," Uryū concurred. "Of course the main villain – whom I am guessing is the escapee that was referred to so irritatingly vaguely – only escaped as a result of Shinigami mistakes and negligence."

Rukia grit her teeth, determined not to respond to Uryū's (seemingly unintentional) insult. Instead, she simply tried to focus on Orihime's reading, which was surprisingly easy to do even with Ichigo and Renji arguing in the background. Hopefully, they would stop soon.

* * *

_Was anyone expecting Ichigo's hollow side to make an appearance? No? That's because I'm absolutely terrible at foreshadowing. Yes? Then you're psychic, and could probably make money with your talents._

**_Reviews: _**_Side note, if there are two or more "Guest" reviews, I always do the oldest one first_

_**Guest: **It'll get even more exciting in the next few chapters._

**_lorrainealyssa .ljluan: _**_You'll just have to wait and see!_

_**Guest: **I hope you enjoyed the reactions!  
_

**_iliketoreviewthegoodstries: _**_thank you, and I hope you liked the chapter!_

**_Heart18:_**_ You're really excited about Shiro . . . Good thing he's one of the main characters then!_

_And that was it. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review!_

_-RoR_

_Coming up: _"You've gotta be kidding me," Ichigo muttered, seeing his partners. When did Ōnabara get so sadistic?

_Please review._


	22. Chapter 22

_Sorry about the delay; I just got back from a no-wifi area so this was the earliest I could get the chapter out._

Note: _I've gotten tired of trying to figure out when someone would be referred to by their family name vs. their given name. Therefore, we're going English style with given-name family-name._

* * *

Chapter 22

After asking Riku whether he actually did return to the room and open a window – to which the exhausted boy replied, "No, why the hell would I do that?" – Ichigo decided to place a special kind of Kidō on the window and door. It was one that Captain Ukitake had been teaching him between sessions of Ichigo trying to seal his Zanpakutō. Not only did it muffle noise inside the room, it would also alert the caster if someone tried to force their way into the room without knowing the correct key spell. Ichigo made sure to share that with Riku, Kira, and Mika, and after some deliberation, he shared it with Shiro as well.

The break-in made Ichigo suspicious; who would break in, and why? There was nothing missing or moved in his room, and whatever residual spiritual pressure the intruder had left was too faint and muddled to be identified properly. Eventually, Ichigo decided to let it slide. If the intruder came back, he'd know, and then he could ask all the questions he needed to.

Now, however, Ichigo was stuck in Kidō. And Professor Tsukino was after him with a vengeance for blowing up one of the dummies the previous day (it wasn't his fault that they couldn't stand his Shakkahō).

"Ichigo, focus your Reiryoku!"

"I am," he bit out, holding his hand up and bracing his other hand against his forearm. Moving his spiritual energy to his hand was like trying to push the ocean with nothing but a bucket. And if Ichigo put too much spirit energy into the spell, it would explode. At least Captain Ukitake's spell had been able to handle more Reiatsu when being cast.

Shiro watched from a distance, smirking. He wasn't required to participate in the class, though the instructor had somehow forced him to memorize all of the spells, which the Hollow found irritating. He learned everything that his King learned, so what was the point? Of course, he couldn't exactly say that out loud, not that anyone would believe him if he did.

Finally, Ichigo got the feeling that the spell was about as stable as it would get. "Hadō number thirty-one, Shakkahō."

The red ball that had been forming in Ichigo's palm suddenly shot out in a flash of energy, hitting the target some distance away and exploding in a burst of heat and flame. When the resulting smoke dispersed, Ichigo could see that the target was charred black, but it wasn't destroyed.

"Huh," Professor Tsukino commented, crossing her arms. "Maybe you don't completely suck, Ichigo."

Ichigo shot her a look, mostly because it had taken him every single class period just to be able to fire the spell without it blowing up in his face or being so unstable it was practically useless.

Thankfully, the rest of the class was some distance away, facing the opposite direction against another set of targets. Much to Ichigo's annoyance, Riku and Kira were able to perform Shakkahō with little difficulty, though theirs was weaker than his.

"I still don't get why you had me learn this without using the incantation," Ichigo muttered, glancing at the pink-haired professor. She shrugged.

"You're probably going to be engaging in high-speed combat, Ichigo. Knowing that, the incantations would take too long, and if your grades in Zanjutsu are anything to go by, you rely on your Zanpakutō skills than Kidō. These will just be distractions for you, not finishers."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Right then!" Tsukino announced, clapping Ichigo on the back and forcing him to take a step forward. "Now you have two more incantations to learn next class, and I'm expecting that you will memorize them so thoroughly you won't need them!"

The blood drained from Ichigo's face. He could've sworn that there was an evil glint to the teacher's eyes as she told him the two Hadō spells.

"Number thirty-three, Sōkatsui, and number four, Byakurai."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Ichigo said under his breath as the professor walked away, probably to check on the progress of the other students. Vaguely, he could hear Shiro snickering.

The end of class couldn't come fast enough for Ichigo, and he wasted no time in leaving, causing Kira and Riku to have to hurry to catch up with him.

"Ichigo, I'm so sore!" Kira complained. "You're not helping my grades, you know! I thought Professor Tsukino was going to throw something at me when my arm twitched during casting!"

"Me too," Riku added. "I get that this is your training method, but don't you think it's a little extreme?"

"Nope," Ichigo replied. "Every time I got better, it was usually because I nearly died. You two are getting off lightly."

He suddenly turned to face them, a particularly violent light entering his eye. "Unless, of course, you want me to make your training even _more_ difficult . . .?" He left the question hanging, and wasn't disappointed in how quick Kira and Riku were in assuring him that no, that would not be necessary, and that was not what they meant at all.

Hohō passed quickly, and Ichigo took great pleasure in seeing Kira and Riku wince with every attempted flash step. Some of the students were getting the hang of whatever kind of precursor they used, and a few were actually "disappearing" for a short period of time and reappearing some distance away. Of course, they only seemed to disappear; Ichigo could follow their movements easily. His day was brightened considerably when Riku managed to trip Shiro mid Shunpo (Riku later called it revenge), causing the hollow to to fall flat on his face and curse in ways that even Ichigo was surprised at. The orange-haired boy was mostly surprised because even though the hollow had cursed for two minutes straight, he hadn't repeated himself once.

Ichigo was not comforted in the slightest by the smirk on Professor Ōnabara's face when he walked into the Zanjutsu classroom. When class started, he immediately had the attention of every student in the room, and it wasn't because the Asauchi of each student in the class was set up in a locked row of cabinets behind him.

"Listen up!" He announced. "Tomorrow, we will be going to the world of the Living to get some experience with performing Konsō! And, because I want to see if you all are capable of not dying when I'm not around, a group of sixth year students will be heading the mission and setting up teams against various dummy hollows from the department of Research and Development!"

Half the class broke out into excited discussions while the other half was shocked silent. Ichigo was part of the latter half, as was Shiro, but Kira and Riku were talking at speeds that made Ichigo want to bang his head into his desk.

"I can't believe this! We're going to the world of the living!"

"This is awesome! I mean, it would be better if we weren't so sore-"

"Don't go there," Ichigo muttered.

"-but It's still great!"

"One more thing!" Ōnabara called, instantly silencing the various discussions that had broken out. "Only the Advanced classes are going, and all other subjects have been cancelled for tomorrow."

Most of the students in the room were treating that news like it was the greatest thing that had ever happened to them. Ichigo, however, felt the blood drain from his face. _Knowing the Academy, they'll probably send the students to a spiritually rich area. Right now, that's Karakura Town._

While Ichigo was happy that he could go back home – no matter how briefly – he was well aware that it put him that much closer to being recognized. He'd have to be careful, and somehow warn his friends to act like they didn't recognize him if they actually crossed paths. Otherwise, Ichigo's cover would be blown, and he really didn't want to have to deal with the fallout of that.

Ōnabara allowed discussion to go on for a minute or two – during which Kira and Riku tried and failed to get Shiro and Ichigo's input on the announcement – before resuming class. Zanjutsu was mostly sparring at this point, with Ōnabara watching the match and giving both students advice. Much to Ichigo's annoyance, he had been asked to help Ōnabara with that piece, and he couldn't complain because that would only draw more attention to himself. As it was, that kid (James, John, Jack?) kept shooting Ichigo angry looks, not that Ichigo really cared.

"Looks like Jacob is out to get you," Riku muttered, watching as Ōnabara wrote the day's sparring partners on the board. While two students sparred, half the remaining class watched while the other half practiced stances and thrusts, among other techniques. Ichigo either didn't participate or refused to fight at his full strength against his opponent, much to Ōnabara's annoyance. Each student usually sparred twice per class, depending on the injuries he or she sustained during those spars.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Ichigo muttered, seeing his partners. When did Ōnabara get so sadistic?

Ichigo reconsidered that thought. More likely, the instructor had noticed the glares Jacob was sending Ichigo and decided to pair them up for the first spar of the day.

"Wow, Ichigo," Kira commented dryly. "You've got the luck of the devil, don't you?"

**"Ikkaku's got nothin' on ya, King," **Shiro added, causing Ichigo to discretely give him the finger as the substitute Shinigami got up, walking over to Ōnabara to get his Shinai. Jacob did the same, and Ichigo half-expected the guy to take a swing before they even got to the sparring ring.

Ichigo felt Shiro's eyes on him as he faced off against Jacob, set in his usual starting stance, waiting for Jacob to make the first move. The guy was decent; Ichigo had figured that much out from previous classes. In fact, he would probably have no trouble getting into a squad, though whether he would get a seated position or not was debatable.

However, he was still inexperienced. He held his sword slightly too tightly, like he expected to drop it at any moment. The tip was also too low, increasing the time it would take him to bring it up for defense. Add a sloppy overall style that was only barely passable, and he would be lucky to get within the same room as Ichigo if it were a real fight.

Unfortunately, it was not a real fight, so Ichigo was forced into a spar against a boy that he had already grown to dislike and was considering humiliating again simply for the sake of trying to get the pompous prick off his back.

Shiro, probably picking up on Ichigo's emotions through whatever faint link they shared, grinned. Ichigo tried not to show a reaction to the bloodlust that he could feel welling up in the back of his mind.

"Begin," Ōnabara said, standing to one side. Two other students were sparring, but Ichigo didn't pay attention to them, and neither did most of the other students watching. They all knew that this was the important match.

Ichigo started off the match with an unexpected move (expected only if you knew him); he jumped at Jacob, swinging his Shinai in a calculated arc. Predictably, Jacob's sword swing up to meet his opponent's, but what shocked him was how Ichigo let his training weapon go, careful to do in a way that would let it land gently and not in an area where any other students were. Ōnabara, having seen Ichigo do this before, was not surprised, unlike the assembled students. Even Riku and Kira had their mouths wide open, confusion written all over their features. Shiro, on the other hand, merely grinned.

"Heh," Jacob snickered, pushing Ichigo back (and not noticing that Ichigo let him do so). "I guess you're not as tough as you like to act, huh?"

Ichigo didn't reply with anything but a roll of his eyes, knowing it was exactly what he needed to set Jacob off. With a snarl, Jacob lunged forward, going for the thrust that others in the room had been practicing. Somehow, the idiot managed to do it in a way that, instead of keeping his balance and grip so that he could shift to a guard stance the moment he needed to, he lost his balance and then overcompensated. Ichigo assisted this by stepping to one side and casually hitting Jacob on the back of the head, causing the western boy to fall flat on his face.

Nervous, muffled laughter echoed up from the students, which only served to make Jacob angrier than he already was (not that it really mattered to Ichigo; Jacob wasn't at the level where he could use his anger as a boost during battle). With an angry, wordless cry, Jacob pushed himself to his feet and sliced at Ichigo, his frustration making the strike even sloppier than it would've been in the first place. Without even batting an eye, Ichigo caught the blade in his bare hand, feeling the impact of the bamboo on his palm but not really paying attention to the faint stinging it created. Given that Shinai were designed to reduce impact; well, needless to say, the practice blade was nothing in comparison to Aizen's strike.

"You need practice," Ichigo said calmly. Then, in one smooth motion, he hit Jacob in the solar plexus with a well-placed punch, causing the boy to double over with a wheeze as the air left his lungs. As a result, his grip on his sword loosened, and Ichigo took it almost casually. Without Ichigo supporting his weight, Jacob fell to the floor again with a thump.

The other match continued, and all Ichigo got was a small nod from Ōnabara before the man went to watch his other students.

"Damn you," Jacob muttered from the floor. As of yet, he had made no move to pick himself up. Suppressing a sigh, Ichigo walked over to him, discarding the Shinai he held.

Shiro watched, eyes narrowing as his King walked up to his downed opponent and _offered_ a_ hand_.

_What the hell does he think he's doing?_ Shiro wondered, scowling. _He beat 'im! There's no reason to help the loser!_

Despite those thoughts, Shiro knew enough to recognize that what Ichigo was doing was technically the "right" thing to do, not that the hollow particularly cared.

"Fuck off," Jacob muttered, shifting his head so that he could see Ichigo's hand out of the corner of his eye.

"No."

Ichigo's hand didn't move.

"Go away."

"No."

Jacob scowled. "I said fuck _off_, dumbass!"

The only warning Jacob got was a slight narrowing of Ichigo's eyes before the substitute Shinigami grabbed him by the back of his uniform and yanked Jacob to his feet, demonstrating surprising strength before letting go. Jacob staggered, shooting Ichigo a resentful look, but Ichigo simply crossed his arms.

"Keep your anger in check," Ichigo said coolly, "and work on your balance."

"Damn you," Jacob snarled. His opponent merely walked away, towards where Kira and Riku were standing, openmouthed.

On a whim, Ichigo glanced at the board to see who his next opponent would be. When he saw the name, his blood ran cold. There, next to his name in the second slot, was the one name he had been hoping to avoid. Kuchiki.

"Ichigo?" Kira prodded, seeing that the boy had stopped dead. Riku had noticed too and was looking where Ichigo seemed to be staring, trying to figure out what had caused the boy to freeze. Immediately after realizing it, Riku let out a low whistle.

"You have to go against Hotaka Kuchiki. Dude, that sucks."

"Hotaka . . ." Kira muttered thoughtfully, before her eyes shot open in recognition. "Oh! He's, like, the second most talented guy in the class!"

"Which makes me wonder why I haven't sparred against him yet," Ichigo said quietly, recovering himself. _I hope he's not part of the main house, or I might be screwed._

The next match was Kira versus a small, wiry boy who handled his Shinai like it was covered in poison, yet had the speed to make up for it.

As they fought, Ichigo sat next to Shiro, having been excused from doing exercises. For once, Shiro broke the silence, though he was staring at the spar and studiously avoiding eye contact with Ichigo.

**"That kid isn't terrible," **he said.

"Neither is Kira."

Shiro scoffed. **"You're right. She just sucks."**

"She's only been holding a sword for a little while. No one's a master right away."

**"You were within a year."**

"That . . . I don't count." Ichigo paused. "Wait, did I just hear you _compliment_ me?"

**"Hell no. I was just saying – "**

"That I was actually good with a sword!" Ichigo grinned, a flare of triumph in his eyes. "Never thought I'd hear you say that."

Shiro scowled. **"You're crazy."**

"I think you're the one who's got that title, actually," Ichigo countered, smirking. "Whose maniacal laughter did I hear all the time back when you were annoying? Oh wait. _Yours_."

**"Things changed."**

"I think the conversation we're having now kinda shows that."

**"You're a pain in the ass," **Shiro growled dismissively, shifting slightly. Clearly, any further conversation would not be welcome.

Muttering about how Shiro was more moody and unpredictable than the rest of his family combined, Ichigo turned his attention back to Kira's match. She had the upper hand, though the way she winced while moving indicated that she was still feeling the soreness from the previous day. Ichigo smiled slightly; if she couldn't learn to fight through pain, she was going to get herself killed in a spectacular against the first hollow she met.

He stopped himself. _Where did that come from?_

Slightly unnerved, Ichigo let his usual scowl return as Kira managed to land a solid hit across her opponent's back, knocking the boy to the ground. Before he could move, Kira pressed her practice sword against the back of his neck.

_Not bad, _Ichigo thought, though he had already mentally noted all of the things he would need to go over later that day.

Riku's spar came up next and Ichigo's only reaction was a slight frown as he saw Riku get flipped onto his back and then frozen by a blade at his throat. His opponent was that black-haired kid, the one who exuded the air of a noble.

Ichigo suddenly collected the dots, and ice shot through his veins. _Oh, shit_. Even Shiro felt the rush of apprehension that went through his counterpart, though he didn't react.

Hotaka Kuchiki had been that kid who was so keen to watch Ichigo when Jacob approached the substitute Shinigami, and even earlier than that, he was one of the few in Hohō who was capable of actual Shunpo, not to mention he could most likely sense Reiatsu in some rudimentary way.

It was only a few short minutes later that Ichigo found himself facing off against the one person in his class who had the greatest chance of exposing Ichigo's identity. According to Riku, Hotaka wasn't a prominent member of the Kuchiki family, and nor were his parents. It was highly likely that Ichigo's secret was safe.

That small fact really didn't help Ichigo's anxiety.

"Begin," Ōnabara said calmly, his voice easily carrying throughout the room. He didn't even bother to pretend that he wasn't overtly interested in Ichigo's match; most likely, the teacher wanted to see Ichigo actually fight with his Shinai, and pairing him with Kuchiki was probably the best way to do so. Knowing the Zanjutsu teacher, he'd been setting up this match from the beginning, just waiting to see if anyone else was capable of giving Ichigo a challenge.

Simply because of that, Ichigo decided to actually use his training blade, though he had no intention of dragging out the fight. Hotaka's eyes narrowed as he saw Ichigo's posture shift, indicating that the orange-haired boy was at least taking the fight semi-seriously. However, not even the calm Kuchiki boy could stop the shock from showing on his face when he suddenly found Ichigo's training sword swinging towards his exposed left side.

Hotaka blocked, barely, before pushing Ichigo's sword away and attempting a quick counterattack. Keeping his scowl, Ichigo blocked with his own sword and stepped back, letting his opponent recover from the shock of realizing that his opponent didn't suck. The Kuchiki's brown eyes narrowed fractionally, the only tell before he lunged, attempting to catch Ichigo off-guard. Ichigo recognized the feint but humored his fellow student, shifting his weight in a way that suggested Ichigo was going to go for the parry.

Eyes flashing with satisfaction, Hotaka spun and attempted to execute his favorite move, designed to send opponents crashing onto his back, only to find a training sword at his throat. He stilled immediately, confused.

No one needed to say that the match was over, but Ōnabara announced it, prompting both boys to lower their Shinai.

"You're probably wondering what went wrong," Ichigo said conversationally, looking straight ahead and not at the boy to his left. "The fact is, you went too early, before seeing that I'd fully gone for the feint. You're good, definitely, but you're too rash."

_Chalk that up as something I'd never thought I'd say to a member of the Kuchiki family, _Ichigo mused, not letting his thoughts show on his face.

He finished by saying, "Nice match."

"You as well," Hotaka replied evenly, his voice smooth, but not nearly as cold and detached as Byakuya's was.

With that, the two students parted ways, and Ichigo walked back over to Riku and Kira, mentally preparing himself for the rest of the day at the same time.

* * *

"Kira," Ichigo said flatly, "if you don't keep your feet moving, you're going to die against the first hollow you meet."

The girl in question was panting, the tip of her Asauchi wavering and dipping towards the ground in exhaustion. Sweat dripped down her forehead into her eyes, while her hair was coming out of the hasty braid she'd put it in. Mika wasn't faring much better, and her breath came in short gasps while she held her sword in shaking hands that had long since grown numb.

Riku was still fighting with Shiro (the eldest Isuke's stamina was actually respectable), though judging from the swearing between each clash of blades, it wasn't going well for him.

"I'm . . . trying," Kira growled between breaths, adjusting her grip on her sword as she did so.

With a barely detectable frown, Ichigo knocked Kira's weapon from her grip and pushed her over, causing the drained girl to fall and stay down. Mika looked like she desperately wanted to go to the aid of her sister, and she managed one uncertain step, but that was all she was capable of. With no warning, she fell, the shock of her hitting the ground knocking her Asauchi out of her hands.

Barely thirty seconds later, Ichigo heard Shiro curse, and the orange-haired teenager looked to see Riku passed out cold at the feet of a very irate-looking hollow. Silence descended over the clearing, feeling strange after the constant sounds of combat that had rung through it in the previous hour.

"They lasted a lot longer this time," Renji noted, walking over with Rukia a step behind. "They almost made forty minutes."

"Yeah. Kira would last longer if she kept her feet moving." Ichigo's tone held no regret in it, despite the fact that he'd been mercilessly attacking two girls a minute prior. Of course, he'd pulled his punches, and there was no way he was actually going to seriously wound Kira or Mika. No way in Hell.

"She barely had the energy to stand," Renji pointed out.

"That's because she's not conserving her energy for when she really needs it."

"She just started."

"I know."

Renji regarded Ichigo, unable to see why the teenager was being so harsh on his classmate, but he eventually decided to let the matter drop.

Rukia, however, was glancing at her Denreishinki and frowning. Ichigo saw this and raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you even have that thing here?" He asked.

"They ordered us to have them in order to watch you," Renji answered, seeing that Rukia was too wrapped up in her key tapping to reply. "Safety precaution, you know?"

**"We're not _that_ dangerous," **Shiro drawled, dragging an unconscious Riku behind him by the wrist, the other boy's Asauchi held in Shiro's free hand. Renji scoffed, waving a hand at the various craters and canyons that hadn't been in the training field before Shiro and Ichigo got there, letting the evidence do the speaking for him. **"Point taken," **Shiro conceded, dumping Riku next to his sisters with little ceremony, **"but that's just 'cause we were experimenting."**

"You tried to behead me," Ichigo muttered sullenly, rubbing the back of his neck like he still felt the bite of his counterpart's blade. "Twice."

**"You were letting your guard down." **Shiro was nothing short of dismissive.

"You weren't letting me use my eyes!"

**"That's because you can't sense Reiatsu for shit, King."**

"I _know_. I don't need the threat of death to learn it, though."

**"That's how you learned everything else."**

"So? That was because I _needed_ to."

**"There's always a need to get stronger."**

"I don't need to die to do it!"

**"That's what you did against Ulquio – "**

"Don't bring that up," Ichigo hissed, momentarily shutting his eyes. What he said next surprised most of those present. "_Please_ don't bring that up."

Shiro realized that he'd screwed up, though belatedly. **"Hey, you've gotta face it sooner or later. If you keep hiding from what happened it's only going to get worse."**

The hollow couldn't react in time to avoid getting punched in the face, and he flew back several yards and landed in a small puff of dust. Shiro lay there for a moment, shocked to the point of immobility.

"I'm not hiding from anything." Ichigo's voice was low, strained, and held the undertones of someone who was desperately trying to avoid thinking too deeply about what Shiro had said. He forcibly loosened his hands – which had clenched into fists – and took a deep breath, visibly calming down. The expression of vulnerability that had settled on his features faded, to be replaced by a dark scowl. "Don't bring it up again, hollow."

Shiro stared at Ichigo, as the substitute Shinigami turned away, actually somehow hurt by Ichigo's purposeful use of "hollow" instead of "Shiro", not to mention the fact that Shiro knew – instinctively – that it was pouring in Ichigo's inner world at the moment. The hollow couldn't explain how he knew, but on the outside, it was fairly obvious. He felt stung, something he wasn't used to, but it was the first time Shiro had actually, genuinely tried to support his King, and all he got for his efforts was a fist to the face.

Surprisingly, it was Rukia who broke the silence, having finally put away her Denreishinki. She had a vaguely worried look on her face and, after exchanging a silent conversation with Renji, she looked at Ichigo. The teenager didn't miss the way Renji now looked vaguely apprehensive, though he chose not to comment on it. If he opened his mouth, there was a high chance that he'd yell at his inner hollow, and he really wasn't in the mood for that.

"Ichigo, we should probably head back now," the petite Shinigami said carefully.

"Yeah, my captain has a load of paperwork for me to do," Renji added, picking up Riku and grunting slightly at the weight.

"Fine," Ichigo said, bending down and picking up Kira. Shiro, who had gotten to his feet, grabbed Mika without a word. All of the Isuke siblings were unconscious, pushed past the brink of exhaustion, and couldn't complain about the way they were carried.

"Hey, Ichigo?" Renji's voice was cautious. He wasn't sure if Ichigo was okay with talking at the moment, given the way he'd punched his inner hollow, but there was something Renji felt that Ichigo needed to know.

"What?" The way Ichigo responded was so flat that it was barely discernable as a question. But it was a response, so Renji pushed ahead.

"You know that the Academy assigns missions, right? Where students go off with officers of the Gotei Thirteen and stuff like that?"

"Yeah."

"Well, since you're a prodigy in the Academy, that means that you'll probably get recruited for missions right after you go to the World of the Living, since that's where you're assessed to see if you're capable of going on missions and fighting hollows."

"Okay."

Undeterred by Ichigo's utter lack of reaction, Renji kept speaking. "Most likely, the captains are going to start pushing missions your way in hopes that you screw up and get revealed, and divisions have a _lot_ of ways to get missions assigned to talented students . . ."

"I get it. You don't have to worry, Renji, I can drag this bet out longer than a few weeks." Sighing, Ichigo carefully avoided hitting a tree, making sure to keep Kira from hitting it as well. He looked to be pulling himself out of whatever funk he'd gotten into, for which Renji was grateful. An angsting Ichigo was no fun, and it definitely ruined the bet. If Ichigo didn't have a living hell of a time at the Academy, then Renji didn't think the bet would be worth all the effort that had gone into it. "Plus, there's no way the captains could find a mission for me that's so tough I'd need to go all-out. Otherwise it'll be their fault I get exposed. People aren't looking for my name or appearance; they're looking for power. Power strong enough to beat Aizen."

Ichigo smiled humorlessly. "And I don't have that right now."

As Ichigo sped up slightly, clearly wanting to pull ahead so that further conversation could be avoided, Renji slowed down. Rukia pulled up next to him. The concerned look on her face hadn't faded, and she was clearly worried.

"What is it, Rukia?" Renji asked quietly, making sure that Ichigo was out of earshot.

"The criminal has been spotted in the Seireitei," Rukia replied, glancing down at the hilt of Sode no Shirayuki out of reflex. "The patrol tried to give chase, but they lost him."

"Anything else?"

Rukia took a deep breath. "Every single member of the patrol collapsed about ten minutes after reportedly seeing the escaped criminal. Unohana herself investigated and said it was exhaustion."

"Exhaustion? No way."

"That's what I thought." Rukia paused for a moment as she and Renji had to separate to go around a particularly thick bunch of trees. The training grounds were a _long_ way from the Academy. "But, Renji, I remember feeling abnormally tired a while ago. I thought I just wasn't sleeping enough, but . . ."

"You're thinking it might be related," Renji finished. He frowned pensively. Rukia wasn't one to share information that she didn't think was relevant. There was no doubt in Renji's mind that Rukia had debated with herself for a long time before telling him this, so Renji had no reason to tell Rukia that she was wrong. After all, Renji trusted his friend, and he trusted her judgment.

"It went away after a while," Rukia added. "One day, it was just gone."

"That's definitely weird. Did you tell anyone?"

"I'm telling you."

"What about your brother?"

Rukia flinched slightly. "I don't want him to worry about me. He's anxious enough now that I'm a lieutenant."

"Captain Kuchiki is just . . . concerned about your safety, that's all."

"Believe me, I know my brother means well." There was genuine warmth to Rukia's voice. Then she spoke more quietly. "But, really, until I found out about that squad I didn't think my problem was relevant. It stopped right before I really considered going to the Fourth."

"At least you were considering going there," Renji commented. Rukia made a vague noise of acknowledgement. "Either way, Rukia, you should be careful. If they had him locked up in Muken, he's dangerous. If that exhaustion comes back—"

"I know, Renji. I'll tell you."

Neither Shinigami noticed the hollow trailing a little ways behind them, golden eyes narrowed as he heard every word of their conversation. The small girl in his arms hadn't hindered his eavesdropping in the slightest.

* * *

_A/N There are answers on the distant horizon . . . Anyway, as a side note this story is past its halfway point (I think; it's hard to estimate)._

**_Reviews (if there is a space in your pen name where there normally isn't, it's because fan fiction doesn't like your name if I don't do that):_**

**_lorrainealyssa . ljluan: _**_That's a good question. Hollow Ichigo does respect Ichigo, just not very much, and he does want him to win._

**_Guest:_**_ We don't know (well, I do, but that's a moot point)._

**_Heart18:_**_ Good thing he gets a lot of screen time then._

**_arelia22:_**_ Hard to tell. He's kind of unpredictable, you know?_

**_Krazyfanfiction1: _**_Thank you!_

**_Rabbit Pie: _**_I'm happy I caught you off-guard with that!_

**_Guest:_**_ Urahara's a manipulative guy, isn't he?_

**_Kuroda yuya: _**_Thank you, and I hope this chapter met expectations!_

**_WhoFeedYasuo: _**_Doubtful, since this story will not stretch to the Quincy War arc._

**_iliketoreviewthegoodstries:_**_ That's why I put it in there!_

_And I'm doing this new think called reviewer of the week. This week, it's jcampbellohten! Wonder who it's going to be next week?_

_That's all for now! I'll see you guys next week with chapter 23!_

_-RoR_

_Coming up: _Ichigo's thoughts screeched to a halt. Hollow bait.

_Please review._


	23. Chapter 23

_I said the action would be picking up, and I usually don't lie. Of course, the best stuff doesn't come until later (how much later is something you'll have to wait to find out), but this chapter isn't bad._

* * *

Chapter 23

"I _really_ don't want to talk to you right now," Ichigo growled, staring at his inner hollow. Renji had long since dumped Riku on the bed and left, though not before he offered his complaints about being stuck with the heaviest Isuke sibling, which were promptly ignored by the other occupants of the room.

Shiro sighed, _wanting_ to tell his king the truth but knowing that Ichigo probably didn't want to hear it.

_Well, sucks for him, _the hollow thought with more than a little annoyance. If his king wanted to be an ass about it, that wasn't Shiro's problem.

**"I don't care," **Shiro replied irritably. **"Unlike you, I'm actually paying attention to things."**

"So?" There was venom in Ichigo's voice, though it wasn't as potent as it had been. The King seemed to be calming down, if only slightly. Really, Shiro considered it to be better than nothing. If there was one thing Ichigo needed to work on, it was his ability to hold grudges over the tiniest things. Shiro wasn't really aware that Ichigo only did that with him.

**"Renji and Rukia are hiding something from us," **Shiro said bluntly, sick and tired of his king's attitude. Beating around the bush never worked with Ichigo. **"I heard 'em talking about it on the way back, when you were busy sulking."**

"I don't sulk."

Shiro looked askance at Ichigo. **"_That's_ what you focus on, King? Really?"**

"I'm trying to think, okay?" Ichigo snapped, rubbing his forehead with what seemed to be frustration. "First you bring up Ulquiorra—" his voice cracked slightly, evidence of the fact that the memories of that battle and his complete hollowfication still haunted him— "and then you don't shut up about it, and now you're accusing Renji and Rukia—two people who are my _friends_—of hiding information from me."

**"From _us_," **Shiro corrected with some heat. Sometimes, Shiro just couldn't understand how Ichigo didn't see that some people weren't capable of the same kind of loyalty that Ichigo felt. **"If they had known I was eavesdropping, they would've stopped talking."**

"You don't know that."

**"Oh, _please_." **Derision was heavy in the hollow's tone. **"I'm a hollow, King. They don't trust me, and if they'd known that I'd overheard they would've done something to make sure I didn't say anything! Let's not forget that _your_ method of dealing with me usually involves stabbing!"**

"That's when you were a part of me!"

**"I still am, dammit! _Listen to me_!"**

Ichigo's jaw worked for a few moments while Shiro calmed down. The hollow turned away and rested his forehead on the cool wood of the bunk bed's frame while his white hair hid his expression. After a few moments of tense silence, Ichigo let out a groan, covering his face with his hands for a brief second before removing them and letting out a deep breath, his hair still stuck in the unruly spikes it was famous for despite its longer length.

Shiro, who had turned around again, regarded his counterpart warily. Frankly, the hollow was surprised that their shouting hadn't woken Riku, and it was only the fact that most of the students were still enjoying their day of freedom that prevented anyone from running into the room. There was no way Ichigo and Shiro would be able to explain what was going on, and if someone did ask that would open up the way for a conversation no one wanted to have.

"Fine," Ichigo said quietly, a small note of defeat in his voice that Shiro really didn't like. "What were Renji and Rukia talking about that they didn't want me to know?"

Shiro was inexplicably relieved that Ichigo was actually going to listen, so he took a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking.

**"They were being really vague about it, but I think a criminal escaped from one of Soul Society's prisons."**

"Which one?" Ichigo didn't sound convinced, and Shiro suppressed a scowl. In his opinion, the King could be ridiculously dense sometimes.

**"Muken. Apparently they're trying to track 'im down and failing. Rukia said somethin' about a patrol collapsing from exhaustion after chasing the guy."**

"How did he escape?"

**"I don't know. They didn't talk about that."**

"Did they say why they're not telling me?"

**"Nope."**

Ichigo let out an annoyed breath. "If this guy escaped from Muken, then he's probably pretty damn powerful. If Soul Society is keeping this from me, they're either being their usual arrogant or annoying selves or this is actually something I might not be able to handle."

Shiro scoffed. **"There's nothing we can't handle, King."**

"We're not at our best right now," Ichigo countered, giving the issue some serious thought. "Still. . . I want to go after this guy, but with the Academy schedule and then training on the days I have off, I've got no time."

**"That could've been intentional."**

"No. I've had the schedule for a while. Rukia or Renji would've let something slip earlier if this has been going on for so long."

Ichigo paused while thinking, and Shiro could practically see the gears turning in his mind.

"Actually, I noticed a lot more Shinigami patrols on our way back here than normal."

**"It's been that way for a while, idiot."**

Ichigo ignored the insult. "How long?"

That gave the hollow pause. **"Tch. A few days?" **The upward lilt to the last word made the statement more of a question, much to Shiro's annoyance.

"So this is recent news," Ichigo mused, none of his previous irritation on his face thanks to the prospect of a challenge. While he didn't live for fighting, Ichigo couldn't deny that he felt a kind of excitement in his chest at the prospect.

**"We're gonna have to train more, King, if we wanna join the fun."**

Ichigo eyed his inner hollow warily. "Your version of fun and my version of fun are two entirely different things."

**"That's because you're a wimp."**

"Am not!"

**"Are too!"**

"Am not!"

**"Are too!"**

"Am—"

Ichigo cut himself off at the sound of a pained groan coming from Riku's position. After shooting his hollow a look, Ichigo went to help his friend.

Riku, Kira, and Mika were going to have a tough time the next day, because with the news Ichigo was not going to lighten up on their training, and the soreness they would undoubtedly feel was a small price to pay.

* * *

The next morning, Ichigo woke up in his typical fashion; that was, avoiding a punch courtesy of his inner hollow and then throwing a pillow at Shiro in retaliation, which the other boy usually dodged in just the right way to let the pillow hit Riku. If Shiro didn't dodge, the hollow would catch the pillow, hit a still-sleepy Ichigo over the head with it, and then chuck the pillow at Riku anyway.

Needless to say, Riku did not like the way his roommates had decided to wake him up, though he had to admit that it stopped him from falling asleep when Ichigo and Shiro began bickering or fighting, especially when they dragged Riku into it. They were the world's most effective alarm clock.

After getting his normal routine over with, Ichigo found himself waiting impatiently for Riku to finish his. The eldest Isuke was taking his time, and Ichigo grit his teeth as more of the boy's complaining reached his ears.

"It feels like my legs are going to snap."

"I think my arm is broken."

"Is my neck supposed to burn?"

"Why does it hurt so much?"

"My arms are so sore. Why can't they just fall off?"

Unsurprisingly, Shiro got fed up with Riku's complaining long before Ichigo did. As a show of how irritated Ichigo was, however, the substitute Shinigami did nothing to stop his counterpart as Shiro walked over to the groaning Riku, threw him on the ground, and hissed something into his ear.

Whatever Shiro had said was enough to make Riku blanch, and with a satisfied Smirk Shiro stood up and walked back over to Ichigo, but not before grabbing the two Zanpakutō leaning against the wall near the bunk bed. He tossed one to Ichigo, who caught it effortlessly, and then both boys slung their swords over their backs.

"Hurry up, Riku," Ichigo called, opening the door as the boy in question strapped his sword to his waist. "I don't feel like missing breakfast again."

"That was _one time_," Riku protested while following his roommates out the door.

"One time too many," Ichigo corrected with a wry grin. Shiro made a noise of agreement, though he seemed to be thinking about something.

Thanks to the fact that he was a hollow, Shiro wasn't permitted to go on the Academy field trip that day per the Head Captain's orders. Therefore, he would eat breakfast with Ichigo and the others and then return to his room, where he was supposed to stay until Ichigo returned.

Knowing that protesting could have landed him something far worse than his current fate, Shiro had remained quiet at the order, though he did let a scowl slip onto his features at the time.

Ichigo, Riku, and Shiro met up with Kira and Mika for breakfast. As had become her custom, Mika sat next to Shiro in complete silence while the boy tried to pretend like the whole thing didn't make him feel extremely uncomfortable. He simply had no idea how to handle Mika; she wasn't scared of him, she rarely said anything, and she was a _little kid_.

Therefore, Shiro had resigned himself to just ignoring in hopes that Mika would stop. Of course, she hadn't, but Shiro kept his hopes up.

Kira and Riku talked excitedly about the field trip that day, with Kira expressing her hopes of them being in the same group.

"That won't happen," Ichigo stated bluntly, swallowing the last of his breakfast. Kira frowned at him.

"No need to be so pessimistic. It could happen."

"We're probably paired in groups of two, not three, in order to encourage more teamwork," Ichigo pointed out. "That means we won't be in a group no matter how much you want us to be."

Kira pouted lightly for the rest of breakfast, though she freaked out pretty nicely when Riku noticed the time. In the end, the trio made record time to the Senkaimon after leaving Shiro and Mika behind at the Academy.

* * *

"PLEASE ASSEMBLE WITH YOUR GROUPS!"

The advanced class was gathered outside the Senkaimon, with a group of sixth years standing in front. There were no teachers; the sixth years were practicing leadership, and it was their responsibility to see that the trip to the World of the Living went as planned. However, in the case that something went wrong, the sixth years were each equipped with a Jigokuchō they could send out in case of emergency. A few instructors and even some members of the Gotei Thirteen were on standby, since more than one Academy trip had gone wrong in the past.

Ichigo, Kira, and Riku had all been assigned to different groups. The students were supposed to go in pairs in case of an actual hollow attack, in which case at least one student would be able to send off the warning flare that had been handed out earlier to each group.

That was the theory, anyway. Ichigo got the distinct feeling that a trip had gone awry before, which had likely prompted all the safety measures.

It wasn't a comforting thought.

The colored tags that were handed out by the sixth years a few minutes prior designated the groups of partners. Ichigo had a red card, Kira had blue, and Riku had yellow. They had been a little upset about splitting up, but Ichigo didn't really mind. He was confident that his companions could handle themselves, and Ichigo was grateful for the break from their complaining.

Seriously, they couldn't be _that_ sore. Spiritual bodies were supposed to be tough, after all. Ichigo had gone through much worse in his training, and it had sucked, but he'd gotten through it.

Someone cleared his throat from behind Ichigo.

Ichigo turned and tried not to scowl too deeply when he saw his partner, whose flat brown eyes were regarding the substitute Shinigami with something that approached contempt but never really got there.

Ichigo was paired up with Hotaka Kuchiki, and the orange-haired teen thought that Ōnabara had a seriously screwed up sense of humor. _At least_, Ichigo reflected, _Hotaka looks just as annoyed as I feel._

"It appears that we are partners," the noble said calmly, holding up his red card as proof that Ichigo thought was entirely unneeded.

"Yeah." A thought struck Ichigo, and he was talking before he realized it. "Kinda weird, though, that the first- and second-best swordsmen in the Advanced Class were paired together. You'd think Ōnabara would want to spread out the skill level in case of a hollow attack."

Ichigo realized why he felt strangely comfortable around the Kuchiki standing before him: Hotaka was too much like Rukia. He had that air of false nobility that came from a lifetime of struggling to be recognized for his own talents. It probably came from being part of a branch family of one of the Noble Families.

"I agree," Hotaka Kuchiki replied, his light brown eyes scanning the area. When they returned to Ichigo, anyone could see the question in them. "If you don't mind me asking, where is your brother? I was under the impression that you two are inseparable."

"In a way," Ichigo answered, shrugging. "My parents just want me to keep an eye on him. He's been excused for this trip to take care of something back home."

"I see."

The pair lapsed into silence. Ichigo took the few moments he had before the sixth years began the instructions to see where Kira and Riku were. Kira had found her partner—some brown-haired girl that didn't seem remarkable—but Ichigo didn't see Riku. After another few seconds of searching, however, Ichigo found him.

He was paired with Jacob.

_Never mind about Kuchiki_, Ichigo thought with a grim smile, seeing the frustration on Riku's face clearly despite the distance. _I could've had it so much worse._

"LISTEN UP!" A sixth year bellowed, standing on an impromptu platform and gaining everyone's attention. "ONCE YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR PARTNERS, PLEASE FOLLOW JIN INTO THE SENKAIMON! IF YOU CANNOT FIND YOUR PARTNER, COME OVER HERE AND WE WILL HELP YOU FIND THEM!"

Jin, a tall, broad-shouldered boy with neck length black hair and icy blue eyes, waved from his position by the Senkaimon as the announcement was being made. Ichigo opened his mouth to tell Hotaka that they should go, only to find out that the noble was already walking.

"Okay then," Ichigo muttered, following. When he reached the Senkaimon, another sixth year presented him with a Jigokuchō, which fluttered in the air for a moment before landing on Ichigo's shoulder.

"The Jigokuchō will guide both of you through the Dangai," the sixth year explained. "When you reach the other side, Jin will collect it. Do _not_, under any circumstances, lose your Jigokuchō, and stay together. Spread too far apart and you risk being sucked into oblivion. Understood?"

"Of course," Hotaka said smoothly, plucking the butterfly from Ichigo's shoulder and allowing it to rest on his own finger. He eyed Ichigo , like the sixth year hadn't just discussed a pretty horrible way to die. "Are you coming, Ichigo Kurosaki?"

Muttering under his breath about how all members of the Kuchiki family except Rukia seemed to have various sticks up their asses—luckily no one overheard him—Ichigo stepped into the Senkaimon alongside his partner.

_It's nice_, Ichigo mused as he walked, _to travel through the Dangai without having to run for my life._ No matter how many times Ichigo travelled to Soul Society, he would not forget that first harrowing journey.

_Stupid Ishida and his capes_, Ichigo thought, smiling inwardly at that particular memory. _Who carries around a spare, anyway?_

When Ichigo and his partner emerged from the Senkaimon, they found themselves in a small forest clearing. A sixth year was waiting there—Jin—and collected their Jigokuchō. It took ten more minutes for the rest of the students to assemble in the clearing, and the rustling of blades in sheathes could be heard clearly. Ichigo seemed to be a special case, wearing his blade on his back, since the others preferred them at their waists. Even Hotaka had raised a questioning eyebrow at Ichigo's choice, though he had never commented. That wasn't surprising to Ichigo; Hotaka didn't seem to be the talkative type, which Ichigo found to be perfectly fine.

The sun was shining, but Ichigo could see a dark bank of clouds rolling in on the horizon. It was clearly going to storm, but Ichigo knew that the storm should hit after the class had left. Either that, or Ichigo would have to figure out a way to stay dry.

While the sixth year was explaining what the first-years were supposed to do for their "field trip" in the World of the Living, Ichigo watched as Kira ran around the clearing, desperately trying to catch a certain black butterfly. Jin was behind her, looking exasperated right up until he caught the butterfly almost effortlessly, leaving Kira red-faced and embarrassed.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, are you simply going to stand there or are we going to actually complete our assignment?"

Ichigo pulled his attention back to Kuchiki Hotaka, belatedly realizing that the sixth year had stopped giving instructions and that a fair portion of the other students had wandered off already, including Riku and Jacob. Kira was talking with Jin, her partner a pace behind her.

"Uh, what are we supposed to do again?" Ichigo asked, somewhat sheepishly. Kuchiki frowned almost imperceptibly but answered nonetheless. "And stop calling me by my full name. It's weird."

Hotaka's expression darkened slightly, but then cleared.

"Very well, _Ichigo_. We have been ordered to purify a total of two souls using Konsō, one for each of us. Once that is done we are required to speak to the sixth year Abikio, who is the one who has been giving us directions. He will tell us where the Hollow we are supposed to be fighting is."

"They're having us fight actual hollows?"

Hotaka's lips thinned at what he perceived as Ichigo's inherent stupidity. "Of course not. The hollows were created by the Twelfth Division for the express use of the Shin'ō Academy and are created with the prime directive of not fatally wounding a student."

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh'. Now may we begin, or are you going to continue standing there doing nothing?"

Ichigo's scowl returned in full force and he began walking without a word. Had he opened his mouth, he probably would've said some things he would come to regret.

At this point, Ichigo began a dangerous game. He had to act like he wasn't terribly familiar with the layout of Karakura Town while simultaneously directing Hotaka _away_ from all of the places where his friends and family would likely be. It wasn't that Ichigo didn't want to see his friends and family; that was far from it. The ache in his chest that came from homesickness had only grown since walking past the clinic—and it was only sheer luck that Ichigo's father had been busy with a patient at that moment—so now Ichigo was doing everything he could to avoid the dangerous areas, as he mentally dubbed them.

Hotaka had completed his Konsō already on the spirit of a young boy, and Ichigo tried to ignore how gentle his partner had been. Seriously, seeing the softer side of any Kuchiki other than Rukia was just strange.

After another five minutes of searching—and after running into another group of students who pointed him in the right direction—Ichigo found a plus soul and easily performed his own Konsō, sending the soul up to Soul Society without trouble.

"So where's Abikio?" Ichigo wondered aloud, looking around the clearing. He and Hotaka had returned there, but the sixth year was nowhere in sight.

On a whim, Ichigo glanced up at the sky and saw that the clouds were much closer. In an hour or two, it would be storming, but for now the sun was still shining and the weather was pleasant.

Suddenly, the rustling of bushes caused Ichigo and Hotaka to turn, only to see the sixth year they had been looking for emerge, looking annoyed. When he saw them, however, he brightened.

"Please tell me you guys managed to get both souls to Soul Society without nearly killing one," he said. Relief filled his features when Kuchiki nodded. "Finally. What group are you?"

"Kurosaki and Kuchiki," Ichigo said. Abikio nodded, thought for a moment, and then pointed to the East.

"Your hollow should be over that way, marked with the letter 'k'. Got it?"

Ichigo and Hotaka nodded.

"Good. Meet back here when you're finished."

As Ichigo turned to leave, he heard Abikio mutter under his breath, "Now where did that first year go? He's been acting strange since the Senkaimon . . ."

Ichigo rolled his eyes upon hearing that. Honestly, some of the students in the advanced class didn't seem very advanced. How was inter-dimensional travelling sickness even real? Nevertheless, Ichigo was impressed at Abikio's memory; the guy had listed off Ichigo's assignment off the top of his head without even needing to consult anything.

Another ten minutes later, Ichigo and his aloof teammate found the hollow they had been assigned in a parking lot. It was a large one, with the letter "K" stamped in bright orange on its back, which Ichigo chose not to interpret as a callout of his hair color. The hollow had ugly green skin, covered in what seemed to be scales, topped off with clawed hands and a mask that looked like it had gotten a little too close to a fire and melted.

It roared in challenge, and wordlessly Ichigo and Hotaka unsheathed their Zanpakutō, shifting into their stances.

"I'll distract it," Ichigo said, watching the hollow as it stepped closer to them, fully intent on skewering Ichigo with one of its claws. "You get its mask from behind, okay?"

Hotaka nodded—and Ichigo reflected that he actually wasn't that bad to work with compared with other members of the Gotei Thirteen—and stepped to the side, making the hollow turn with him until Ichigo got the hollow's attention with a shout.

"Oi, ugly!" Ichigo yelled, causing the ugly beast to turn in his direction and reveal the sizeable hollow hole stamped right in its stomach. Then, to Ichigo's surprise, the hollow held out its hand and four of its claws fired out like projectiles, heading straight for Ichigo's heart. The substitute Shinigami cursed, dropping and rolling to his right. _So much for nonlethal programming_, he thought sardonically.

Knowing Kurotsuchi, this "mistake" was entirely intentional.

Hotaka was still getting into a better position, so Ichigo darted forward and slashed upwards—he still wasn't entirely used to wielding a sealed Zanpakutō, but training had helped—and scored a shallow cut on the hollow's chest, making the beast roar and swipe surprisingly quickly with its claws. Ichigo braced himself, but even so he was thrown back by the impact. Recovering quickly, the substitute lunged forward, twisting in mid-strike to avoid another salvo of bullet-claws. One grazed his cheek and drew a thin line of blood, but Ichigo quickly returned the favor by slashing with Zangetsu.

The hollow lifted a forearm in defense, and Ichigo's blade bit deeply into it, cutting through the scales, drawing blood and a scream of pain from the hollow. The claws in its hands pointed in Ichigo's direction, but the attack was never launched as a katana pierced through the hollow's forehead—if it could be called a forehead—and then sliced downwards, bisecting the hollow's upper half with a spray of blood that Ichigo barely avoided.

Ichigo stepped back as the beast collapsed, and then frowned when it didn't disintegrate.

"The research development will want to recover it," Hotaka explained at Ichigo's unspoken question, cleaning off his blade with an expert flick of his wrist. Ichigo rolled his eyes and cleaned his sword as well before sheathing it. The number on the back of the pseudo-hollow was glowing, probably signaling that it needed to be recovered.

"We should head back to the Senkaimon," Ichigo said, glancing around and then up at the storm bank, which was only getting closer. For some reason, the sight of the dark clouds was giving Ichigo a really bad feeling, one that he couldn't exactly place. "Since it took us a while to find the hollow, there are probably other groups there already and—"

He cut himself off when he saw that Hotaka was already walking, a habit of the boy's that Ichigo found to be extremely irritating. Rolling his eyes, Ichigo followed.

Ichigo had only taken a few steps when he heard it: a hollow's roar. For a moment, he thought it was another pseudo-hollow, but another quickly followed up the first.

And another.

And another.

The sounds built until the air was filled with the roars of angry hollows. At the same time, Ichigo saw a bright light shoot into the sky, originating from a place Ichigo knew held a few groups of Academy students. After a moment, Ichigo recognized the light as an emergency flare, and as he did another one shot off from the opposite direction.

Hotaka's eyes were wide with confusion and apprehension as he spoke. "What's going on? They didn't tell us about this."

"Those sounds are coming from where the Senkaimon is," Ichigo said tightly, breaking into a sprint as the bad feeling in his gut multiplied tenfold. "Come on!"

After a minute, Ichigo switched to Shunpo, hearing pained screams of _students_ on top of the hollows and leaving Hotaka behind even as the boy used his own, incomplete version of the technique. A Garganta opened up near him, accompanying the hundreds of others that had abruptly appeared in the sky. Ichigo dispatched the emerging hollow with ease, since Kuchiki was a ways behind him and he no longer found any need to hold back his actual skill level.

_What could've caused this?_ Ichigo wondered as he ran. _I've only seen this happen when there's a high-level hollow around, or when Ishida challenged me with that hollow bait back when we—_

Ichigo's thoughts screeched to a halt.

Hollow bait.

The sixth-year student's words echoed in Ichigo's ears: _"Now where did that first year go? He's been acting strange since the Senkaimon . . ."_

Ichigo cursed the stupidity of overeager Academy students and sped up even more, arriving at the clearing a moment later after making his way through the trees.

It was utter chaos. Hollows were swarming the scene, their ranks made up of so many different shapes they seemed to be one vast mass. The sixth years and returning first years were trying to hold them off in a defensive circle as a sixth year in the middle—Jin—desperately sent a Jigokuchō for backup, since he couldn't open a proper Senkaimon with so many hollows present. That would only risk the security of the Dangai, which the student wouldn't do.

"What happened?" Ichigo asked as he dropped down next to the boy, slicing through the mask of a hollow that had gotten too close after breaking through the line of students. Jin raised an eyebrow at the power of the strike, but didn't comment due to the circumstances. At the moment, any help was appreciated.

"Some first year decided that it was a good idea to smash some hollow bait," Jin spat. "Apparently his friend from the twelfth division gave it to him on a dare."

"And he actually did it?" Ichigo asked in disbelief. Jin snorted and made a grand gesture at the surrounding scene.

"What do you think?"

Ichigo scowled but let that topic drop. "What can I do to help?"

If Jin was fazed about giving orders to a first year, he didn't show it. However, right before he did, another hollow made a lunge for Ichigo, stomping a screaming student down in its wake, though the student didn't seem injured too badly.

The creature stopped abruptly as a sword sliced cleanly through its neck, decapitating it. Hotaka fell back to the ground gracefully, but when he spoke he was clearly troubled despite his sudden and admittedly impressive entrance.

"What happened here?"

"Idiot first year and hollow bait," Ichigo replied dryly, summing up the entire situation in those few words. Hotaka looked like he was going to say something until Jin confirmed the story, and Ichigo tried not to show the annoyance on his face.

"I can't open a Senkaimon with so many hollows around," Jin stated, his voice strained. "I've already sent a request for backup, but it's going to take a while to get here. You two are the best in your class, right?"

Ichigo and Kuchiki exchanged a look. "I guess so," Ichigo said. Jin nodded to himself.

"You think you can get a message to Urahara Kisuke?"

Ichigo barely stopped himself from reacting at the name of the manipulative shopkeeper. Jin continued, not noticing Ichigo's brief lapse.

"Urahara could house the students until reinforcements arrive. We talked to him about this arrangement for previous classes' field trips, but I don't know if he's here now."

"I'll go," Ichigo stated. "Hotaka can help out here, and I'll go faster if I'm on my own."

Hotaka looked like he was going to protest, but Jin cut him off. "That's fine. Get back here as soon as you can, Kurosaki."

Ichigo nodded, turned, and sprinted through the mass of hollows, leaving a protesting Hotaka in his wake. Zangetsu came out of its sheath and Ichigo carved himself a path through the horde of roaring hollows, barely holding back but still receiving various cuts and bruises from blows he wasn't able to stop or dodge. He took a brief second to curse his weakness, but then continued fighting.

It took him ten seconds to get out of the clearing, and then he was ducking through trees, avoiding the spots where he could hear hollows and just trying to get to the streets where he could safely Shunpo without having to worry about accidentally hitting a tree.

That wasn't fun, which Ichigo had found out the hard way. Yoruichi had never let him hear the end of that little incident.

After running into a snake-like hollow and purifying it, Ichigo made it onto the streets and took off at his fastest Shunpo, blowing by the hollows. _At least_, he thought wryly, _I'm fast enough where I won't get stuck in a fight with low-level hollows._

In a minute Ichigo was at Urahara's shop, yelling for the man he hoped was there. Then Ichigo saw the sign on the front of the shop and cursed vehemently as a distant rumble of thunder shook the air

The shop was closed, which meant that Urahara was off somewhere doing his own thing at the _worst possible time_.

"Dammit," Ichigo muttered, turning around right as a particularly big hollow crashed down behind him. It roared, making the air tremble. Two more landed beside it, creating small craters in the street. Ichigo glared at the newcomers, transferring his frustration at the situation to the three hollows in front of him.

More roars shook the night as another Garganta opened near Ichigo's position, letting more hollows pour into the sky. It was the Uryū Ishida Quincy incident all over again, but so much worse with so many student Shinigami in Karakura even more hollows were being drawn than normal, not to mention the fact that the beasts were all targeting the Senkaimon or any student unlucky enough to be caught unaware. The spiritual pressure of the Academy students was drawing the hollows to their position like moths to light in the worst possible way.

At this rate, Ichigo would need to release shikai, but he _really_ didn't want to do that. Not when it was so difficult to get Zangetsu into a sealed state, and not when he was trying to divert attention away from himself. Already having a shikai would be more than suspicious at this point, especially since Ichigo was only a first year.

_Of all the times to leave Shiro behind_, Ichigo growled mentally. The hollow may have been insane, but he was a skilled fighter, even more so than Ichigo even with his power reduced.

The hollow was also a dimension away.

"Dammit, Hat-n-Clogs," Ichigo muttered, knowing that the statement was unfair but not particularly caring.

With his scowl firmly in place, Ichigo adjusted his grip on Zangetsu and raced forward, meeting the hollows halfway as he swung Zangetsu down in a murderous arc. A flash of lightning arced through the air at the exact moment when Zangetsu sliced through the hollow, followed quickly by a rumble of thunder while the hollow disintegrated. However, Ichigo was already running, decapitating one of the other hollows while he went and trying to get to Chad's place. The giant would no doubt go out to fight the hollows, and Ichigo had to warn him.

Ichigo's thoughts were interrupted by a blue arrow whizzing by right in front of his face, stopping the teenager in his tracks.

"What the hell, Uryū?!" He demanded, looking up to see the Quincy he knew so well perched on a nearby rooftop, bow in hand.

"What are you doing here, Ichigo?" The Quincy replied calmly. "Aren't you supposed to be in Soul Society, recovering?"

"I got sent to the Shin'ō Academy," Ichigo growled, "and we're on a field trip. Some idiot used hollow bait—"

"I can tell that much on my own, Ichigo," Uryū interrupted, and Ichigo tried to ignore the smugness in his tone. "Was there anything else you were planning on saying that _isn't_ immediately obvious?"

"Yeah. Can you try to avoid running into Academy students? They're mostly oblivious of stuff that happened so—"

"I am well aware of that situation. You didn't need to tell me."

_Well maybe if you didn't keep cutting me off_, Ichigo ranted mentally, not letting his thoughts show on his face because he knew that would only feed Uryū's ego even more.

"Just don't give me away, okay?" Ichigo eventually said, after making sure he wasn't going to accidentally say what he was thinking. "And let Chad and Orihime know too."

"They are on a vacation with Urahara," Uryū replied slowly, his glasses flashing as he took down more hollows. Ichigo was struck speechless, thinking, _that's why they're gone?_

After a moment, Ichigo let out a groan of frustration, adjusting his grip on Zangetsu. "Just . . . don't do anything stupid, okay?"

Uryū smirked. "I believe that is your problem, Ichigo."

"Shut up, Uryū."

Any further conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a fresh load of hollows, and Ichigo cursed, remembering that he had to get back to the clearing and let Jin know that Urahara's shop was not a fallback option. Hopefully, at least one of the sixth years was good at defensive Kidō and could put up some kind of barrier, like Hacchi.

Otherwise, Ichigo and the other students were in for a very, very long night. As if to make matters worse, the heavens opened wide and rain poured down, hitting the roads in blinding sheets.

* * *

_A/N Ichigo, you just can't catch a break, can you?_

_**Reviews:**  
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_**Krazyfanfiction1:** thank you!_

**_Chrizburrow:_**_ Thank you! I appreciate your review!_

**_lorrainealyssa . ljluan:_**_ It's the same type of bait that Uryū used when he challenged Ichigo; simple, generic hollow bait._

**_iliketoreviewthegoodstries:_**_Shiro's a sneaky guy._

**_Guest:_**

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed! All five of you!_

_Well, I've made a fair bit of hype for the next chapter. It will be coming out on schedule, so no worries there. Hopefully, it'll meet the expectations I set on it!_

_Reviewer of the week is iliketoreviewthegoodstries!_

_-RoR_

_Coming up: "What's it like to be a hollow?" _

_****__Please review._


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